In a compelling new video, the organization March For Our Lives sheds light on the grim reality of children participating in active shooter drills. Founded in 2018 by survivors of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, this group seeks to advocate for stronger gun control measures, such as the proposed Senate Resolution 42, aimed at closing loopholes in gun sales and ultimately reducing the necessity for these drills.
The video, titled “Generation Lockdown,” features a young girl named Emma, who presents these drills to a group of bewildered adults at a workplace team-building event. Emma, likely in the fourth or fifth grade, is referred to as an “expert” on the subject, a title that highlights the absurdity of children being thrust into this role.
With a chilling nonchalance, Emma explains to the adults, “If there was an active shooter, you’d all be dead.” She elaborates on the tactics she and her peers have learned: pushing furniture against doors for barricading, covering door windows with paper to hide their locations, and remaining silent to avoid detection. Her casual tone underscores the normalization of this terrifying reality for the majority of public school students in the United States.
Emma describes various hiding strategies, including standing on toilet seats in restrooms to avoid being seen. She advises the adults to listen carefully for sounds indicating the shooter’s proximity, noting, “If you hear loud bangs like, ‘BANG BANG BANG,’ the shooter might be down the hall.”
When addressing the possibility of an encounter with the shooter, she states flatly, “Screaming won’t do anything. You have to try to fight back.” She even shares a song learned at school to help memorize the steps to staying alive during such a crisis, which is both heartbreaking and indicative of the times.
Many parents may find this video hard to watch, especially if they haven’t yet had to confront the reality of their children participating in these drills. My own child, now in sixth grade, has been practicing active shooter protocols since the Sandy Hook tragedy, and has shared similar advice with me over the years. It’s alarming to think that while I used to feel anxious during fire drills, today’s children are trained to listen for clues about a shooter’s location and to stifle their cries, lest they give away their hiding places.
March For Our Lives aims to raise awareness and motivate action against gun violence, asserting, “Instead of passing laws to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands, politicians have made it necessary for millions of children to become survival experts.” Their goal is to create enough momentum so that lawmakers are compelled to enact meaningful gun reform to protect our youth.
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In summary, the video “Generation Lockdown” from March For Our Lives starkly illustrates the chilling reality faced by children today, who are forced to navigate active shooter drills as part of their education. The video serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for gun reform and the protection of our children.