CALIFORNIA, Md. — School shootings have become a common issue throughout public schools in the U.S. Students and teachers fear for their safety, leading to the implementation of precautions to prepare for potential incidents.
Many schools in Maryland conduct drills to practice proper procedures in the event of an active shooter situation. While the intent is to prepare students, some young people report that their mental health has been negatively affected by drills simulating life-threatening events.
Maryland is cracking down on unregulated shooter drills by banning certain elements. For instance, the new guidelines prohibit the use of gunfire sound effects during drills, as the audio can frighten children or trigger traumatic reactions. The guidelines also require school leadership to inform occupants about upcoming drills in advance to prevent unnecessary panic.
Perhaps the most notable exclusion is that shooter drills may “not include individuals posing as active assailants.” Portraying active shooters is considered dangerous, as students or teachers may take the threat seriously, particularly if the drill is unannounced.
The new rules likely won’t be fully implemented until the 2025 school year, but many of the banned practices have already ceased in Maryland schools.
The guidelines clarify that banned strategies may still be allowed for training purposes outside of normal school hours. The document states, “Although there are restrictions on training, drills, and other exercises conducted during school hours, activities conducted with volunteers outside of the regular school days are not restricted.”
The overall goal of the guidelines is to reduce stress and anxiety among students, especially those too young to understand the difference between a real and practice active shooter event.
Do School Shooter Drills Cause Harm?
There is significant evidence suggesting that school shooter drills may do more harm than good. A report by Everytown for Gun Safety states that these practice events can negatively affect the mental well-being of students in America. The report includes insights from real parents on social media, showing that some students may experience harm from these demonstrations.
A major issue with these drills is confusion among students who may believe the emergency is real. One tweet recorded in the report reads: “My kindergartener was stuck in the bathroom, alone, during a drill and spent a year in therapy for extreme anxiety. In a new school even, she still has to use the bathroom in the nurse’s office because she has PTSD from that event.”
Examples like this offer a glimpse into the unique challenges children in the U.S. face daily. Informing students, parents, and staff of a drill in advance could reduce accidents and unnecessary fear.
A drill designed to prevent fatalities should never cause harm. By implementing new rules for school shooter drills, Maryland is already offering solutions. While shooter drills may not disappear anytime soon, students and teachers can take comfort in knowing the state is working toward a safer environment for everyone.
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A “few” years back, when I was in grade school, we had fire drills and bomb drills. The bomb drills really made sense. We had to get under our desks and cover our heads. Seemed like that would stop the extreme radiation and blast from a Russian nuclear weapon. By the time I was in high school, those bomb drills had stopped. But we also had to leave our firearms in our vehicles, out in the school parking lot. Odd thing was, we were taught not to use any weapons on each other. Somehow we all survived, even without any ‘texters’.