There are multiple issues that come along with the topic of school safety and what can be done to keep students in classrooms safe from situations such as school shootings, bomb threats, fights, and other malicious attacks. However, these sorts of situations are things that need to be talked about. I believe that so much more can be done and there are certain aspects of our school’s way to deal with these situations should be changed or fixed.

First of all, the ALICE drills need to be changed. They are not something we can just do once a trimester or after a shooting somewhere else occurs. I believe teachers need to be talking about this issue with students more frequently. An option that can be explored is having some sort of meeting for talking about these types of emergency situation every month. The topic of what to do during an emergency needs to be brought up way more than it is.

Secondly, there should not be a common meeting place, if an intruder does enter the building. Most likely, it would be somebody who was familiar with the school’s plans. Students should be encouraged to get as far away from the intruder and the school if this situation occurred, as unlikely as it is.

I believe every student should be prepared for this possibility and be able to keep themselves safe. With a meeting place, they have an increased chance of being attacked.

Thirdly, gun control needs to be addressed. The current system clearly isn’t working. I am not implying that guns should be banned at all, but I do think that security needs to be tighter and who gets access to guns needs to be better regulated. It is incredibly easy for somebody who shouldn’t have a gun to get a gun. There should be mental health background checks and the ability to ensure that a person who has severe issues cannot get one.

There is not enough being done to ensure the safety of children in American schools.