This seems like a relatively inexpensive issue to rectify so I’m somewhat baffled by the school’s inaction. And beyond extreme scenarios like school shootings, there’s also a risk of kids escaping (happened at our school)

Our DC's school has doors that lock. The issue there is all classrooms have large windows from outside. No place to hide.

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t there other teachers who know this? Can’t they also speak up? It’s your safety at risk as much as the students.

The entire freaking school knows. There was a teacher asking on our school wide Google chat, during a recent lockdown that everyone thought was a real shooter event for a good 20 minutes, that she was in a room without locks and what should she do. The gym doors don't have locks, just holes in the door where the tumblers should be. The upper school has several rooms that don't lock. No one that I know is saying squat. No one wants to lose their job. I love my colleagues but they're all spineless.

Aren’t there other teachers who know this? Can’t they also speak up? It’s your safety at risk as much as the students.

Anonymous wrote:Are there any parents in the Parent-Teacher organization who could help? I wonder if a quiet side conversation with one of the more vocal parent leaders would get things moving. Bonus if they're outspoken donors with multiple younger children. Schools might not listen to their staff but they do tend to think about impacts to their tuition dollars.

Yes. But if a parent starts speaking up, it'll be obvious I spoke with them.

Are there any parents in the Parent-Teacher organization who could help? I wonder if a quiet side conversation with one of the more vocal parent leaders would get things moving. Bonus if they're outspoken donors with multiple younger children. Schools might not listen to their staff but they do tend to think about impacts to their tuition dollars.

I'm still deciding what to do. In the meantime, I've downloaded and made both digital and online copies, converted over from the school's google suite to my own personal Google docs of everything I have in writing about this issue. I have copies of communications (7-8 of them) requesting these safety issues be addressed as far back as last school year. All those communications were either ignored or responded to as a "we'll get to it" and never did. There were at least a half a dozen verbal requests, but I suspect those don't "count".

That said, I don't really wish to harm this school's reputation. I'm keeping them in the rare possibility of if something happens in the next few weeks. I am considering talking to an employment lawyer because I suspect they are going to fire me the last week of school because I've spoken up in meetings or to admin several times. I wonder if they do fire me for this issue if I have any recourse. I wouldn't want to stay if they don't want me to stay, but being fired for a deep concern over some extremely serious safety issues is wrong. If I had recourse, I'd sue. Anyone know?

Anonymous wrote:OP, you’re right to be concerned—both about the locks and the laissez-faire response

If there is a governing body that giver’s accreditation, I would consider that route. Safety is something that is on a school’s evaluation. Perceived safety also affects admissions. If parents don’t demonstrative safety measures, they’ll not want to risk their child. Everyone? No. But enough.

The accreditor will not do anything. Cognia is a joke so is any NAIS accreditor.

OP, you’re right to be concerned—both about the locks and the laissez-faire response

If there is a governing body that giver’s accreditation, I would consider that route. Safety is something that is on a school’s evaluation. Perceived safety also affects admissions. If parents don’t demonstrative safety measures, they’ll not want to risk their child. Everyone? No. But enough.