Lockdown Nation

[otohara]

We routinely terrify and traumatize kids to spare them terror and trauma.



This is the way we live now.

Ukiah, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10. Three South Ukiah schools locked down after a report of a man with a rifle near the church behind one of the schools.
Hiddenite, N.C., Tuesday, Dec. 10: Hiddenite Elementary school locked down after a nearby bank robbery.
Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday, Dec. 10: Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School locked down after a “vague threat” found written on a bathroom wall.
Lake Villa, Ill., Tuesday, Dec. 10: Five Lake County schools locked down over two separate incidents, one involving a man wielding a rifle in his home during a domestic dispute, the other involving a student who brought a weapon to a middle school.
Milwaukee, Friday, Dec. 6: James Madison Academic Campus put on lockdown after unsubstantiated report of a gun on grounds.
Tempe, Ariz., Friday, Dec. 6, Fees College Preparatory Middle School locked down after police found a boy carrying a BB gun on campus.
Stockton, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 5: Grunsky Elementary School placed on lockdown as a result of a domestic dispute in a nearby residence.
Genesee Township, Mich., Thursday, Dec. 5: Kearsley High School placed on lockdown after someone calls in a bomb threat.
Howard County, Md., Thursday, Dec. 5: Lockdown at Laurel Woods Elementary School and Forest Ridge Elementary School.
Orlando, Fla., Wednesday, Dec. 4: West Orange High School on lockdown after a 15-year-old student shot by another student in face and abdomen.
Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday, Dec. 4: Meadowdale High School on lockdown after unconfirmed reports of a student with a gun.
Cincinnati, Wednesday, Dec. 4: Lincoln Heights Elementary School locked down when a woman was shot in the neighborhood, and someone shot into the back of a school bus dropping children off.
Wake Forest, N.C., Wednesday, Dec. 4 : Wake Forest Middle School, Heritage Elementary School, Heritage Middle School, and Heritage High School all locked down after a robbery at a local bank.
Greenbriar, Ark., Wednesday, Dec. 4: Greenbrier schools on lockdown when parents of children in the district were involved in a domestic dispute off-campus.
Wingate, N.C., Wednesday, Dec. 4: All of Wingate University placed on lockdown after two people were fatally shot on a nearby street.
Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Dec. 4: Rutland Elementary School on lockdown after man crashes car nearby and escapes from police on foot.

That’s just a fraction of them. And that’s just one week.

Every day in this country, a school goes into lockdown after a bomb or a gun threat, a neighborhood crime or domestic dispute, or a false alarm. To prepare for such events schools must have (as mandated in some states) lockdown drills to train students on what the appropriate lockdown procedures are.

I find myself joining many other parents who worry that in teaching our children how to behave when somebody storms their classroom with a gun, we have unloosed something dramatic upon them without much serious reflection. Lockdowns are simply what we do now. My son’s elementary school was locked down the first week of school this fall when shots were heard in the neighborhood. He tells me they all pack themselves into the closet. He’s 8. But how often should we have lockdowns and why and when and how do they work? How are parents notified and what happens to the kids in the bathroom or off campus and who is studying the effects of all this?http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2013/12/lockdown_drills_what_are_school_shooting_trainings_teaching_kids.html

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. Just more police statism...to keep us safe.

[valerief]

2. Lockdown, the new Duck and Cover. nt

[99Forever]

3. The direct result of allowing Gun Culture...

... to set the standards of our society. Until we honestly address that reality, it will only get worse.

[Rochester]

4. Getting them acclimatized to submission while they're young

Every time I read about something like this, I hope to see a scenario of defiance unfold.

Wouldn't it be great if the next time a school tries to enforce a lockdown, the students have the courage to rise as one and all leave the building at once, through the windows if necessary, and scatter in every direction. If the cops then decide to try to round them up instead of investigating the alleged crime, they will have to use an inordinate amount of time and manpower to do so, and even then, I expect many of them would be able to get home without being picked up. One would hope that at least some of the parents would back up their kids who stood up for themselves.

Of course I realize it's unlikely. More kids than ever are being raised as cowards, in a society that encourages conformity and obedience and at best distrusts independent thinking and action. Many kids will unite to attack the weak, but few will stand together against the strong, and fewer still will stand alone. Instead, I see pictures of them being led from one place to another with their hands in the air like surrendering criminals. Seeing this display fills me with loathing and disgust that the police force should be able to treat allegedly free citizens this way without consequences. Where is the kid with the balls to get out of the line, walk in front of the news cameras, point to the PIGS with their show of force herding the people about like cattle, and shout, "Is this what my grandfather fought the Nazis for?!"

[Oscarmonster13]

5. fearmongering...

My son's elementary school had a drill Friday. I purposefully kept him home for the morning so he would not be exposed to the trauma. I think the teachers should be trained, but that involving the kids plants fear in them. So as we roll up to the school, half the parking lot is FULL of all kinds of police, sheriff, highway patrol and fire vehicles...
My son, who is not a fearful person, was really nervous and wanted to just drive around the block until they were gone. I said no, let's park and wait. I knew the drill was supposed to be over by 10:30 and it was getting close to 11...
I tell my son I will walk him into he office, and hang with him until we know it's all clear...

Just as we get to the front doors, they open and all the cops and fire guys start pouring out. The principal is shaking their hands and saying thanks, everyone is all smiles. They look at us and say "you missed all the FUN!" (oh the irony) I smiled back nice and big and said "that was exactly the plan!"

so I walk my son in to the office, hug him and make sure he's okay to go to his classroom...and as I am walking out, the principal stops me o give me a whole spiel on how "we really made it a positive experience for the kids...officers went and spoke to each classroom, etc" I thanked him and walked away, shaking my head.

How the HELL can you make it a "positive" thing - when you have officers in riot gear with dogs and 50+ law enforcement and fire personnell storming the fucking school like it is armageddon?

fucked up world we are living in, I tell ya

[Egalitarian Thug]

6. Be afraid, be very afraid. Social conditioning disguised as safety.

Obey. Conform. Consume.