New York, which is home to the United States’ largest school district, is banning the use of realistic active shooter drills in all schools in the state. The New York State Board of Regents approved the change on Thursday, July 11.
The new rules will begin this school year and the board unanimously approved them. Schools now cannot use actors, props and violent depictions during school shooting drills. Instead, schools will be required to use only “trauma informed” and “age appropriate” procedures. Additionally, parents will have to be notified of the drills one week in advance.
The move follows years of complaints from parents. Parents, activists, doctors and lawmakers claimed the graphically detailed drills traumatize children and do not actually prepare them for such events. Instead, they said, the drills create a culture of fear and anxiety among students.
In one case, a parent reportedly complained that their child came home and began locking doors and windows in response to an active shooter drill at their school. In another instance, a five-year-old asked their parent what a “bullet can do to a body.”
Parents said that these incidents show that students’ focus are turning from learning to concerns about violence. However, in reality, the likelihood of being in a school shooting still remains very rare.
Data from Everytown for Gun Safety reveals that less than 1% of gun deaths annually are from school shootings. However, gun control advocates point out that gun violence remains a problem at schools. Everytown for Gun Safety also showed that there have been 118 incidents of gunfire on U.S. school grounds this year so far.
Meanwhile, Stella Kaye, a 17-year-old, who survived two school shootings, said that the realistic active shooter drills do not really prepare students for the actual shootings. Kaye also said she supports the change coming to New York schools.
Some experts also questioned whether realistic active shooter drills actually prepare students for the real thing. Research on the subject so far is inconclusive as to the exercises’ effectiveness.
The New York State Legislature is also looking to reduce the number of mandatory lockdown drills in schools, from eight to four each year and to reduce evacuation drills from four to two annually.
Advocates for the changes argued that the better solution for school safety is to train staff on how to respond to active shooter situations and other safety measures such as locks on doors and windows in classrooms.
