I was recently talking to someone about school security, and I said that sometimes I think people must be getting tired of hearing me talk about it or seeing yet another barricade device post on iDigHardware. His response: “If people can die without our voices, we kind of need to keep talking…”
True. School safety and security affect all of us in one way or another, and we have to keep educating, informing, and recommending code-compliant alternatives. One challenge is how to address the inventions created by high schoolers. Any suggestions? Here’s a recent story from ABC6 – Action News:
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Frightening, as a former industrial arts, aka technology; teacher I’m embarrassed this was initiated by a well intentioned but ignorant colleague. Curiously, the video never actually shows the finished device.
Hi Pete –
It said something at the end about not showing the device because the students are “fine-tuning” the design. 🙁
– Lori
Lori
DO NOT STOP talking, in fact, I am going to start preaching about the problems created by these devices. The problem is not going to go away. We must have a real security solution from professionals. There is no cheap fast solution, only real lockdown systems, the proper, code compliant, hardware and doors that are bullet resistant and able to withstand an assault by an attacker.
Keep up the good work!
Frank Ehrman CPP PSP
Security Thru Design
frank@secdes.biz
Thanks Frank. It has been a particularly bad day so I appreciate the pep talk.
– Lori
I share the frustration in continuing to fight this nationwide whack-a-mole epidemic. As we hear more and more about evidence based solutions, I come back to the fact that no active shooter has breached a locked door (Sandy Hook Commission and further reinforced with Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission report). That’s a lot of evidence….. How many people have survived because a shooter could not breach a locked door? A code compliant and effective solution. Have not seen any evidence on the other side of this debate.
On the other hand, the evidence I know, is shooters have barricaded themselves in at least 3 shootings:
Virginia Tech
Platte Canyon
West Nickel Mine
How about the teacher who is in litigation with the district that used a barricade device to lock her in a room with a violent student (reported last week on iDH blog).
Why doesn’t this get any press????
I hope we can get to a place where common sense, effective, code compliant solutions are adopted.
Mark Williams, Vice Chair, Partner Alliance for Safer Schools
UNC Charlotte!! I live 5 minutes from the university, and was glad to hear that one button put the whole place on lockdown for the protection of the ENTIRE university.
Lori – I agree, keep up with the education you are spreading. Administration must have singular control of electronic locks compliant with AHJs, police and fire. No exceptions. Alternative locking devices cost people’s lives.
“One challenge is how to address the inventions created by high schoolers. Any suggestions?”
I have one…Why not get the local Fire Marshall and the School District Code Compliance officer involved and first teach the students the ‘basics’ of the appropriate codes? Then challenge the students to come up with a code compliant idea.
Hi Terry –
I like that, but it would be a challenge to reach all of the teachers who might be considering a project like this.
– Lori
I caution about being too harsh or judgmental on the teachers & students. Life is so complicated we can’t all know all the “rules”. I think school principals are in a better place to be in contact with district & local safety officials. After a recent shooting I forwarded some of Lori’s webpages to my kids school principal in the hope she could address any teacher’s & parents concerns. They are used to balancing multiple demanding priorities.
I agree Dan. I don’t blame them for not knowing, but I think it would be important to do some research while working on a project like this.
– Lori
As for a suggestion on how to address inventions by high schoolers, Terry’s suggestion is great, but you point out the problem of making it widespread. My suggestion: Get the STATE fire marshals (50-100 people) gathered together to collaborate and create a training program for principles and teachers to disseminate throughout the state that includes all of this information. Then, have this same training required as part of a teachers and principals annual training, just like other trainings like sexual harassment or other proper procedures. By skipping several layers of bureaucracy , I think it would be possible educate the educators, which is most important.
NEVER NEVER NEVER stop talking about it! There is no way to know but you talking about it to us most likely already has saved lives. Anyone doing any research on the topic at some point going to be lead to this blog from a quick Google search. You cant take that away from society.
There are 2 paths we could be preemptive. Specific material about the harm news stories like this have and encourage these devices that are not even needed because locks already and have for a long time existed that meet all the needs. Can be sent to all the national networks. They already have a mechanism in place to get this information down to the affiliates and into the hands of the news directors.
The second to get it into the hands of teachers is to recruit the help of the National Education Association (NEA) http://www.nea.org/. I think the direct risk these products put on these members could be reason enough to work together. Again it is only because the right solution already exists and has for some time. These products only create a new threat to their members. They also have better communication to their 50 state affiliates. Only a small % of their members may be very active but there are always a few in each school. It is also only public schools but that is a big dent.
This could be a great campaign for lock dont block https://lockdontblock.org/ to do. But if they don’t want to take on an outreach program, you know ALOA Institutional Locksmith Division would be happy to do what ever is needed.
Thanks John! We all need to work on this issue!
– Lori