East Allen County Schools- New Haven, IN
As parents, sending children off to school isn’t like what it was 20 years ago. Because the number of school shootings has increased across the country over time, how are local districts keeping your children safe? It’s not just tornado and fire drills any more, like we had to go through. Kids these days go through safety drills, as well, to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. In an active shooter situation, East Allen County Schools follows a leading national protocol known as A.L.I.C.E., which stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate. The counter protocol is a last resort — allowing teachers and students to throw any hard object at an intruder who breaches a classroom — books, desks, whatever’s at hand. “If someone’s coming in and they mean harm, and they’re distracted because they’re getting hit with all these objects all at once, it gives our people a chance for survival,” says EACS Superintendent Ken Folks. As the local police chief and Allen County school resource officer checked each classroom door to make sure the building is clear, it’s obvious that creativity is encouraged. We found one door blocked by a refrigerator; another, piles of desks; a third, heavy tables. Anything to slow an intruder down. While it’s scary to watch, it’s sadly necessary these days to train for the worst and hope for the best. Every district in the state is required to hold at least two safety drills every year. Read more
