Whenever we had lockdown drills, I’d get angry with my students. The lights were off, the door was locked, and students were seated silently under their desks. For about three minutes.
Then, the whispers began. Muted laughter followed; Phone screens flashed as students texted their friends, taking advantage of this “break” from learning.
After the drill, I tried to impress its importance upon them, but the routine would play out the same next time.
I couldn’t blame them. The majority of these students weren’t even born when Columbine happened. They were a generation who’d grown up with mass shootings and a 24-hour news cycle.
Continue reading at The Hill.