Yesterday, my elementary school had our first real active shooter lockdown drill. Thread: what that actually feels like as a teacher (and a mom). (1/8)
Our principal frantically got on intercom to announce lockdown. Panicked but trying to remain calm, I urged kids to take cover far from any windows or doors. 32 kids packed in 5x20 foot space under cabinets, scared for their lives. (2/8)
Hands shaking, I ran to lock adjoining door, close blinds. Climb over my kids to close corner window blinds. One child whispers he saw someone in hallway. Kids panic. I squint through blinds to see if a child is unprotected in hallway. I am listening for gunshots. (3/8)
Get kids calmed down, breathing to 10. Logging in to laptop to say kids are accounted for, texting office to see what is going on. All I can imagine is an active shooter in our school. (4/8)
My own babies are downstairs in 1st/2nd grades. I want more than life to race downstairs & protect them. But I know I must protect the 32 5th graders on my watch, and I will like any teacher would do. (5/8)
I position my chair between kids & door. I’ve never felt so helpless. Finally hear it’s an active shooter in area, NOT school. Sounds of helicopters circling overhead make it difficult to calm kids. Kiddos who’ve suffered abuse/trauma are having severe panic attacks (6/8)
Finally lockdown ends, we are safe, but trauma needs processing. Class meeting lasts for a long time. Kids know too much - they watch news & know what a lockdown means. They were terrified for far too long. Questions were devastating. Our kids deserve better. (7/8)
In our talks, kids focused on spreading kindness to prevent hate and anger. This is what we have control over today. Please, take today (and every day after) to #choosekind... and while you're at it, pass common sense gun laws to lessen fear and eliminate violence. (8/8)
Typo: NOT a drill. Real threat. Still rattled, sorry.
I appreciate the support pouring in from around the country. Sadly this situation was not an anomaly or an aberration, this is happening all over our country every single day. We don’t have to live like this #Enough
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