Lockdown Drills

[Anonymous]

My kid is new to MCPS but has mentioned a lot of lockdown drills just in PE. Yesterday, she said her class misbehaved so the teacher made them do a lockdown drill. When I emailed the teacher for clarification, he practically bragged about how many lockdown drills he does. He even said:

“Yesterday the classes were having a difficult time following directions and I thought that if there was a fire drill or lockdown at that time they probably wouldn’t do a very good job.   I decided to practice the lockdown drill to see how they would respond.”

Only a principal can call a lockdown, not a teacher. I am livid that this man thinks this is an effective behavior management strategy!

[Anonymous]

We practice lockdown drills individually as a class. Same for fire drills. I don’t do it as a disciplinary measure though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We practice lockdown drills individually as a class. Same for fire drills. I don’t do it as a disciplinary measure though.

I don’t have a problem with the teacher practicing the drill procedures before the first actual drill. Teachers also do this with fire drills. But to continue drills in addition to what the school calls is not appropriate. Using drills as a disciplinary measure is extreme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is new to MCPS but has mentioned a lot of lockdown drills just in PE. Yesterday, she said her class misbehaved so the teacher made them do a lockdown drill. When I emailed the teacher for clarification, he practically bragged about how many lockdown drills he does. He even said:

“Yesterday the classes were having a difficult time following directions and I thought that if there was a fire drill or lockdown at that time they probably wouldn’t do a very good job.   I decided to practice the lockdown drill to see how they would respond.”

Only a principal can call a lockdown, not a teacher. I am livid that this man thinks this is an effective behavior management strategy!

This is crazy and very inappropriate. Is this an elementary school? You need to contact the administrator.
-a MCPS elementary school teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is new to MCPS but has mentioned a lot of lockdown drills just in PE. Yesterday, she said her class misbehaved so the teacher made them do a lockdown drill. When I emailed the teacher for clarification, he practically bragged about how many lockdown drills he does. He even said:

“Yesterday the classes were having a difficult time following directions and I thought that if there was a fire drill or lockdown at that time they probably wouldn’t do a very good job.   I decided to practice the lockdown drill to see how they would respond.”

Only a principal can call a lockdown, not a teacher. I am livid that this man thinks this is an effective behavior management strategy!

This is crazy and very inappropriate. Is this an elementary school? You need to contact the administrator.
-a MCPS elementary school teacher

This is a Title 1 school and unfortunately there is a lot I need to contact the administration about 😞

[Anonymous]

Umm yeah I’d be pissed too. Along with them taking away recess as discipline as well. They’re not allowed to but some lunch aides do it anyway.

[Anonymous]

You know there is something to be said for his logic. If kids are out of control, they could pose a danger to themselves and others. Not saying I agree with his methodology, just his logic.

[Anonymous]

Oh give it a rest. Don't you remember your teacher making you get up to practice a fire drill and saying "if this was the real drill, we would file out of the classroom now"?
It sounds like the class was unruly ans he was impressing upon them that when the class is unruly its a danger because they couldn't even get it together in an emergency.
In our day, the unruly kids got to sit in the corner. Somehow we survived.
Teachers have enough to deal with. Your precious darling having to practice a drill isn't cause for you to get your hackles up. You should be glad the teacher is trying.
- a parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh give it a rest. Don't you remember your teacher making you get up to practice a fire drill and saying "if this was the real drill, we would file out of the classroom now"?
It sounds like the class was unruly ans he was impressing upon them that when the class is unruly its a danger because they couldn't even get it together in an emergency.
In our day, the unruly kids got to sit in the corner. Somehow we survived.
Teachers have enough to deal with. Your precious darling having to practice a drill isn't cause for you to get your hackles up. You should be glad the teacher is trying.
- a parent

In our day, if we misbehaved we'd get a up-close inspection of the principal's paddle. Not sure I want to go back to "in our day".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh give it a rest. Don't you remember your teacher making you get up to practice a fire drill and saying "if this was the real drill, we would file out of the classroom now"?
It sounds like the class was unruly ans he was impressing upon them that when the class is unruly its a danger because they couldn't even get it together in an emergency.
In our day, the unruly kids got to sit in the corner. Somehow we survived.
Teachers have enough to deal with. Your precious darling having to practice a drill isn't cause for you to get your hackles up. You should be glad the teacher is trying.
- a parent

Back in our day kids didn’t actually have to worry about getting shot at school. Lockdown drills are only supposed to be called by the principal or law enforcement for a reason. Not because some dumba&& PE teacher can’t control his class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh give it a rest. Don't you remember your teacher making you get up to practice a fire drill and saying "if this was the real drill, we would file out of the classroom now"?
It sounds like the class was unruly ans he was impressing upon them that when the class is unruly its a danger because they couldn't even get it together in an emergency.
In our day, the unruly kids got to sit in the corner. Somehow we survived.
Teachers have enough to deal with. Your precious darling having to practice a drill isn't cause for you to get your hackles up. You should be glad the teacher is trying.
- a parent

In our day, if we misbehaved we'd get a up-close inspection of the principal's paddle. Not sure I want to go back to "in our day".

Where did you grow up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know there is something to be said for his logic. If kids are out of control, they could pose a danger to themselves and others. Not saying I agree with his methodology, just his logic.

yea, there's some logic to this.

If the kids don't know how to listen, then what would happen in a real life lockdown scenario? That's kind of scary.

[Anonymous]

I work in an elementary school and kids' behavior is out of control. Many of them do not care when a teacher raises their voice; they dont respect adults, they think they can get away with whatever they want and it's really bad. I actually think the PE teacher had a good point. If there were a true emergency they literally wouldn't know how to be quiet for more than a minute because they don't stop talking even with all the teacher tools and connection and everything else we learn.

Teach your kids to be respectful of adults, to sit in their seats while they eat, to not talk back, to not hit when they're frustrated, to not need a screen to pacify them, to not crumble into pieces when they're remotely bored or have to wait for more than 3 minutes.

Can you tell it's been a bad week? Think about the collective safety of all the kids in the school and not your one kid--what do you think will happen to him with an extra lockdown drill?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a great teacher! In a crisis, his students will be prepared!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in an elementary school and kids' behavior is out of control. Many of them do not care when a teacher raises their voice; they dont respect adults, they think they can get away with whatever they want and it's really bad. I actually think the PE teacher had a good point. If there were a true emergency they literally wouldn't know how to be quiet for more than a minute because they don't stop talking even with all the teacher tools and connection and everything else we learn.

Teach your kids to be respectful of adults, to sit in their seats while they eat, to not talk back, to not hit when they're frustrated, to not need a screen to pacify them, to not crumble into pieces when they're remotely bored or have to wait for more than 3 minutes.

Can you tell it's been a bad week? Think about the collective safety of all the kids in the school and not your one kid--what do you think will happen to him with an extra lockdown drill?

I worry the kids will be desensitized to lockdown drills and only associate them with teacher discipline. Again, there is a reason MCPS only lets principals call a lockdown drill.