How should kids react in a school shooting?

**LittleGrizzly** · 12-16-2008, 14:46

TBH i think most of my comprehensive (12-16) classrooms only had the one door, the windows in most of them would have been very hard to get out of, do-able but it would take a minute for me and im fairly agile, any fat kid would have just got stuck.

Im unsure about this... on the one hand surely it is better for someone to try and tackle the shooter if people are stuck in a classroom with him anyway, though i really don't see 10 year olds doing too much, a few older teenagers perhaps...... on the other hand you don't want to encourage teenage boys to have rambo fanatasies about taking down a shooter, trying to tackle the guy should be a last resort, i would tell my kid to get the hell out of there

of course if it was me in the school i would be rambo, but all boys like to think like that, and that thinking shouldn't be encouraged in kids...

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 12-17-2008, 01:20

In my high school -- the height of late 60s early 70s design -- fewer than 1 classroom in 4 had any windows. All of those windows were less than 12" wide. None of those windows were designed to open -- ever. On the other hand, each of the classrooms were three-walled affairs with no fourth wall.

My other schools were more traditionally designed. One door on the hallway side, two solid sidewalls, one wall lined with windows opposite the door. All of the windows had one panel (12" by 32") that would open (on a pivot, often at the mid-point of the pane so that no student could climb out). Window egress could really only have been effected by a) throwing things through the windows unitl they broke. Tearing the swivel panels off of their hinges. I don't recall having more than a handful of classrooms with more than one door.

**Beren Son Of Barahi** · 12-17-2008, 01:52

AFAIK most of these events happen with students that have been suspended/expelled;it would make sense to control who can come in and out of a school; swipe cards/access control would be a much better way of stopping someone getting into the school then teaching kids to charge the ~~trenches~~gunmen.

I think this sort of thinking is all cartage in front of the horse type of problem solving. stop the school shootings before they happen or restrict the movement within the school.

i would of thought that it might be better to evacuate when possible instead of staying put.

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 12-17-2008, 04:17

Originally Posted by Beren Son Of Barahi

i would of thought that it might be better to evacuate when possible instead of staying put.

School officials assume that such an evacuation would not be orderly and would actually become a panicked stampede. This, many feel, would result in deaths from trampling and possible worse death totals if the stampede heads the wrong way.

I actually think the current doctrine (modified) would work better...if the teacher behind the barricaded door was themselves armed. But, then again, I'm one of those power-crazed gun nut types [note, sarcasm].

**LittleGrizzly** · 12-17-2008, 10:46

I think it would be better if there could be more organisation during an actual shooting event, classes too close to the shooter could simply lock the door and stay put, whilst other classes which are far enough away could make a safe exit quickly. This would rely on some knowledge of the shooters position and direction he's heading and some ability to communicate this information to all the teachers, maybe read out the shooters movements over the pa system, could annoy the shooter though...

It would probably be a really good idea to have quick exits for all classrooms possible, fire exits on ground levels and stairs built to classes off ground level, its a bit of expense but probably worth it...

**Husar** · 12-17-2008, 14:47

Bullet proof steel doors and bullet proof windows, costs a lot to buy burt they cannot come in anymore, unless they move on to school shootings with RPGs. Preferably all those doors can be locked remotely by the principal and/or the security personnel, then add some vidya cameras, machine gun turrets and flame thrower barriers, a bunch of marines with an APC as a rapid deploament security force and your kids are finally secure. Expect a little rise in schooling costs or taxes though.

edit: Alternatively you could try a MAD scenario and put a tactical nuke into the cellar of the school.

**Kekvit Irae** · 12-17-2008, 18:25

A school shooting is usually done by someone with no regard for hostages or loss of life. I firmly believe that if you are going to die, you might as well die trying to take down the shooter.

**HoreTore** · 12-17-2008, 17:46

Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh

School officials assume that such an evacuation would not be orderly and would actually become a panicked stampede. This, many feel, would result in deaths from trampling and possible worse death totals if the stampede heads the wrong way.

Uhm.... Fire drills, anyone?