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What do you think of this:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fak ... snhp&pos=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The law enforcement agencies in and around Boerne held similar drills on a weekend when the students were not there and the student body did not participate. The LEOs did use some of the explorers as participants but not the general student body. They also did not use makeup. The makeup seems only to add fear unnecessarily.

I think the way our guys did it is the right way to do it. The way they did it in the article is overkill and the negatives from scaring the bajeebers out of the kids outweighs the benefits of the training the officers received.

All the kids in it volunteered. I take away from it this from the article:

(One student said) “It’s so hard to hear all of [those gunshots] and not freak out,” she says. But “I’m actually happy I did do it because now I know what some of the kids who came out alive in Sandy Hook felt.” If there is a shooting, she says,she’ll be prepared and “not just stand there.”

But not everyone felt invigorated. Amy Venneman, who teaches English, says having the student actors there ratcheted it up to a different level. “When I saw all the kids just running and screaming down the hallway, it really hit home for me,” she says.

While it may be a very drastic approach with the theatrical makup, these kids and teachers have been involved in a drill that will help them prepare for something real. We have tornado and fire drills that teach the kids and teachers how to help protect themselves, why not active shooter drills?

I think it is good to have drills. I also think there is a way to do it that promotes training and preparedness without creating unnecessary fear and anti-gun feelings. Over dramatization can be counterproductive.

I think if I found out they did that at my kid's school and the kids were part of it the lawsuit would be filed the next day.

I took part as an EMS respondent in one at a local high school on a Saturday. There were no kids involved. It was a learning experinence in several ways. The Principal wanted to be in charge of the school and the school Nurse wanted to be in charge of the medical response. The Principal was trying to order the LEOs around (that went over like a lead balloon) and the nurse did not know about triage. Our first job on scene is to assess the situation and she was trying to tell us how to do our jobs. Also, as we (EMS) entered the building, a "bomb" went off taking out 3/4 of the EMS responders. Our high schools are huge and it would be very difficult to engage a determined active shooter. The article was telling in that any student caught in the hall WILL NOT be let into a classroom. They must fend for themself.

Cedar Park Dad wrote:I think if I found out they did that at my kid's school and the kids were part of it the lawsuit would be filed the next day.

Why? Kids had to volunteer for it. I am sure they had to have their parent's permission to participate. It was maybe a little over on the makeup, but it got the kids to realize this could be real.

I consider this totally different than the Shattered Dreams mock auto accidents that schools put on to influence students driving decisions when it comes to drugs, drinking and texting while driving.

Keith B wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:I think if I found out they did that at my kid's school and the kids were part of it the lawsuit would be filed the next day.

Why? Kids had to volunteer for it. I am sure they had to have their parent's permission to participate. It was maybe a little over on the makeup, but it got the kids to realize this could be real.

Why are you sure they had their parent's permission?

Cedar Park Dad wrote:

Keith B wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:I think if I found out they did that at my kid's school and the kids were part of it the lawsuit would be filed the next day.

Why? Kids had to volunteer for it. I am sure they had to have their parent's permission to participate. It was maybe a little over on the makeup, but it got the kids to realize this could be real.

Why are you sure they had their parent's permission?

Do you know they didn't?

howdy wrote:I took part as an EMS respondent in one at a local high school on a Saturday. There were no kids involved. It was a learning experinence in several ways. The Principal wanted to be in charge of the school and the school Nurse wanted to be in charge of the medical response. The Principal was trying to order the LEOs around (that went over like a lead balloon) and the nurse did not know about triage. Our first job on scene is to assess the situation and she was trying to tell us how to do our jobs. Also, as we (EMS) entered the building, a "bomb" went off taking out 3/4 of the EMS responders. Our high schools are huge and it would be very difficult to engage a determined active shooter. The article was telling in that any student caught in the hall WILL NOT be let into a classroom. They must fend for themself.

We use to have annual MCI drills typically involving fallen aircraft type scenarios. We had a couple that were WMD types though. The one that kinda touches on the adverse feelings about doing frightening drills in schools though was the year we did the fake car wreck in front of the school. A couple of cooperative and sworn to secrecy students were placed in a wreckage of a car wrapped around a telephone pole. Appropriately gory make up effects were applied and our house and another's rescue unit were all there, lights going, tape surrounding the scene all working diligently to extract the mortally wounded passengers as the kids and teachers started to arrive. It had the anticipated horrifying affect and the unanticipated complaints from parents and teachers quelling any future scare tactics.

A more effective way would be like other drills, where initially a training drill is set up and plans are exercised. THEN if you want an unannounced drill, have a "bad guy" come in with a training weapon and then the teachers activate the plan. Even in the military, alert actions were announced with "This is a Drill" with the exception of deployment drills and even then once all personnel are assembled, the "stand down" announcement was given. I could always tell it was a drill because I was issued an M-16 at the armory. The times I drew the 1911 instead I knew we were for real.

Keith B wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:

Keith B wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:I think if I found out they did that at my kid's school and the kids were part of it the lawsuit would be filed the next day.

Why? Kids had to volunteer for it. I am sure they had to have their parent's permission to participate. It was maybe a little over on the makeup, but it got the kids to realize this could be real.

Why are you sure they had their parent's permission?

Do you know they didn't?

I know that school do lots of things without parent permission. They've had lockdown drills without our knowledge. This is just another form of that.

more effective way would be like other drills, where initially a training drill is set up and plans are exercised. THEN if you want an unannounced drill, have a "bad guy" come in with a training weapon and then the teachers activate the plan.

You mean terrifying hundreds of kids? Please clarify.

Cedar Park Dad wrote:

Keith B wrote:

Cedar Park Dad wrote:I think if I found out they did that at my kid's school and the kids were part of it the lawsuit would be filed the next day.

Why? Kids had to volunteer for it. I am sure they had to have their parent's permission to participate. It was maybe a little over on the makeup, but it got the kids to realize this could be real.

Why are you sure they had their parent's permission?

Here is my backup for belief that they had permission from the parents.

There’s also a difference between using student actors, who are fully-debriefed volunteers, and involving all students in this kind of exercise. Cary-Grove High School in Cary, Ill., faced criticism from parents last year when they staged an active shooter drill, blanks and all, with the entire student body present. One concerned mother from Hartselle, Ala., started a petition on change.org against a planned active shooter drill that would have involved elementary school students.

“We would never do that,” says Lt. Binder. “Law enforcement agencies that do that are making a grave mistake. We’re not here to create panic or fear.”

OK thats a relief-didn't see that. Note that the other school had indeed done that though.

Cedar Park Dad wrote:OK thats a relief-didn't see that. Note that the other school had indeed done that though.

Take a look at the city that did it. Cary, IL, suburb of Chicago. 'nuff said.