The beginning of the school year usually elicits excitement and anticipation for learning. However, as children return to school, so do the anxieties and fears of potential school shootings.
With New York City public school students preparing to head back on Sept. 7, state Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon paid a visit to P.S. 133 the William A. Butler School in Park Slope to advocate for more effective and fewer lockdown drills in an effort to improve student mental health and wellbeing.
Lockdown drills may do more harm than good
New York State has one of the most intense lockdown drill mandates in the nation – requiring schools to hold four drills per year. Lockdown drills prepare students and teachers for life-threatening emergencies, especially school shootings.
