You know that commercial for Bud Lite - Too much vs too little? I wrestled with that dilemma this week when we had to go into real lockdown mode and I had to explain the reason for it on various levels. We hadn't even had a drill yet when the real thing became necessary. It all happened during the last hour of the school day, when I received a call from the central security office informing me to lock down the school because a former employee who was acting erratically and volatile threatened to return to the school following a major blowup with district employees. We had some incidents in the past with this former employee showing up at school and making threats, which had already earned us a plain-clothes guard for several days earlier in the year.
Because the lockdown lasted longer than a normal drill, all staff and most students realized this wasn't just an ordinary drill and began asking questions. They also could see that we had an armed guard patrolling the premises. I sent an email to staff explaining the situation and to explain to students that it was a precautionary lockdown due to an outside disturbance that ultimately did not materialize. How do you explain to kids that a former employee experiencing mental instability was on the loose and making threats that could potentially harm people? We also had to explain the lockdown to parents, who are still calling to inquire about the incident and the safety of the school. The great thing in this age of immediate information is that, while I did not have time to send a letter home with over 400 students, I was able to put an explanation on my blog so that the information was out and transparent before the children arrived home with the big news of the day. And you know how kids can talk it up. While I was outside with students that day loading the buses I heard kids talking about how there was a killer on the loose and we had a SWAT team at the school.
The following morning I worked with our communications department on drafting a letter for parents that revealed the right amount of information without divulging too much or leaving too much room for inquiry and suspicion that we were covering up a potentially dangerous situation. It's definitely a fine line that we tread when we are deciding how much information is necessary. Some parents, of course, felt it was too little and wanted a more detailed explanation, while some actually thanked me for giving them the information that they did receive. I am still receiving calls daily and the message is always the same - our highest priority is providing a safe learning environment. We'll take every precaution and always err on the side of safety. It usually suffices, but there are still those that call everyday to see if we got the guy yet.
Glad you got through it without any major issues. It is a time that can be a little scary and uneasy for you, your staff, and students. It is probably even more unsettling for that parent that is asked to "stay away" and trust others to make good decisions on behalf of their son or daughter. Understandably, each parent would like to swoop in and protect a child of theirs, and in each individual case, that makes sense. However, we know that when these paternal desires are combined with the paternal desires of many others to act similarly, only confusion, disorganization, and conflict will arise. With that understanding, school officials are called upon to determine what the best course of action is for all involved. This means that a parent basically sits outside, helpless, watching and waiting. At the same time that we like to communicate these incidents to community and parents, it can also play against us in some situations that are still active. About all you can do in the end in assure parents and community members that you are trying to act in a manner that ensures the most safety for the entire student body and staff that may be placed in danger.
Likewise, I am glad that you managed the situation which is probably one of our worst and most common nightmares. Nevertheless, as you mentioned, the days when we had the luxury of a few hours to communicate to parents is now long gone. With almost all our students having access to a cellphone or smartphone, it is more likely than ever that we have to recieve calls from parents who already "know" about the event by the time we get to the office. You had a great advantage of having a blog. Most of us would have to resort to sending a mass mail or a written memo to parents.