ALICE training and run-hide-fight: Are students and educators risking injury?
If trainees and trainers are being injured during A.L.I.C.E. training and run-hide-fight programs, should we be worried about children being hurt when educators and students are taught to throw things at, and to attack, armed gunmen? Are principals, superintendents and school boards aware of, and prepared to take on, this responsibility and potential liability? Questions about student […]
School safety post-Sandy Hook: Proven, tested strategies prevail
For the past nine months, our team of school security and communications consultants have maintained a steady approach and methodical voice of reason while serving as an anchor to superintendents, boards and principals who are facing a tidal wave of school-community emotion on safety issues. We have focused on proven prevention, preparedness, response and communications […]
School safety post-Sandy Hook: Context and focus from up close
Even the most seasoned of school safety professionals have struggled to make sense out of the senseless — the loss of 20 children and six school staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. While I do not believe most of us will ever make sense out of it, I have found some […]
School safety post-Sandy Hook: Focus on “How?,” not on “Wow!”
More than nine months have passed since the December 14, 2012, school shooting attack upon Sandy Hook Elementary School in the Newtown, Connecticut, school district where 20 children and 6 school staff members were left dead. The horrific nature of the attack upon our youngest and most vulnerable children — elementary students — served as […]
Do ALICE training tactics put students, teachers at risk?
Questions about student and teacher safety continue to mount as some schools deploy questionable drill tactics in which children and teachers are instructed to throw things at, and to attack, armed gunmen. The tactics stem from the controversial “Counter” component of the A.L.I.C.E. Training program, which stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate. Questionable tactics stemming from A.L.I.C.E. training In recent months, […]
Psychologist: ALICE training is an ‘overreaction and potentially dangerous’
A.L.I.C.E. training — teaching students to attack armed gunmen — is “an overreaction and potentially dangerous,” according to Dr. Stephen Brock of the National Association of School Psychologists. The A.L.I.C.E. program, which stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate, is described as “controversial” in a March 28th article by Mother Jones writer Deanna Pan entitled, “Schools are training second-graders to […]
Feds fail after Sandy Hook; Security expert says restore cuts, add school safety academies
School security expert says federal leaders failed to provide meaningful steps to improve school security after Sandy Hook Trump calls for restoring cut federal programs, new state school safety academies [CLEVELAND] Elected officials have failed to provide meaningful legislation, funding, and resources to help school administrators better secure their schools and prepare for mass […]
School police association rejects training students to attack armed intruders
The national association representing school-based police officers does NOT endorse the idea of teaching students to throw objects and attack armed intruders, its executive director confirmed earlier today. The association also does NOT endorse the idea of teaching school-based police officers to teach students to throw objects and attack armed intruders. Mo Canady, Executive Director […]
School board, superintendent reject ALICE student training to attack armed intruders
The Canton (MA) school board and superintendent on Thursday rejected moving forward with training students to attack armed intruders under what a Boston Globe article called a “controversial new security protocol” known as A.L.I.C.E. training. “We are not ready to go beyond the point of training staff,” the Globe quoted Superintendent Jeffrey Granatino as saying […]
Handcuffed student in police car shoots himself after school threat
Deputies did not conduct a full search of a troubled Texas high school senior and missed a gun that he used to shoot himself police said on Thursday, according to Houston Chronicle newspaper article. The 17-year-old male student was in intensive care after officers performed a quick pat-down on Wednesday following concerns that the high school […]