Lockdown Drills Should Not Be Normal

By Julie Lin, September 17th 2024

Two students and two teachers have died while nine others have been injured at Apalachee High School due to a mass school shooting caused by 14-year-old shooter Colt Gray. Threats and tries of gun violence has risen after the tragedy took place resulting intense emotions to scale within parents and students across the country. 

According to Education Week, 28 school shootings have occurred this year which resulted in harm or death. Compared to other nations which have had two to three school shootings, the United States has a significant gap revealing at 228 shootings overall since 2009. 

School shootings are a topic that seems to reappear often in the United States, and many are concerned about how the government reacts to deadly ordeals and why it happens to our youth so often. The public has an idea of what school districts can do to try and prevent the number of casualties that may take effect by arming certain admin, enforcing metal detectors, advanced lockdown drills, as well as raising awareness in available mental health services, etc.  

However, a majority says otherwise. These safety measures would’ve been unnecessary if our government further restricted who had access to dangerous machinery. Most states do not need any law enforcement, a permit/background check, firearm training, and more when purchasing a handgun. Open carrying is also allowed for the reasons of self-defense and the right to bear arms although in many cases, when taken or restricted, certain amount of people seem to be unaware of the dangers or used to unregulated conditions.  

Politicians have been on the problem ever since a widely concerning number of shootings have been seen in what is labeled “safe” environments like school and work. To stop the root cause, Joe Biden has set up the House Office of Gun Violence Prevention with the help of Kamala Harris trying to implement rules and laws as well as additional actions to require what was not already needed in many states.  

In general, easy access to a deadly weapon is inarguably why lockdown drills are necessary to continue to appear in school environments in the U.S.