ST. LOUIS — It's the scenario you never want to prepare for, but so many young people must think about. Active shooters.
The topic is especially at the front of parents' minds after the recent shooting at the Maryland Heights Community Center. There were 150 people inside the center during the shooting Monday night, many of them were children.
5 On Your spoke to Reiley Edmonds, who said her classmate was inside and ran from the shooter -- something they had been taught in school.
But some are arguing that school shooting drills are doing more harm than good.
Most school districts in the bi-state prepare their students for intruders in some way:
-St. Louis Public Schools and the Belleville, Troy, and St. Clair districts all practice lockdown drills.
-The Riverview Gardens School District holds active shooter drills at least once a year.
-The Rockwood School District teaches an evade-escape strategy through walkthroughs and tabletop exercises.
-The Ferguson-Florissant School District has increased security in schools, along with discussion-based training for students.
-Recently the National Education Association (NEA) criticized active shooter drills, saying they can be harmful to students.
Patrick Layden with the Missouri NEA said the drills are something many have come to dread.
"A relapse or flashback occurred and I've had teachers had to go on leave, I've had staff, our students call in sick, parents call in sick, because they're too scared to go to school at those moments," Layden said.
The most problematic type of drills, Layden said, are the ones that are unannounced -- which no districts in the St. Louis area do.
The NEA recommends more teacher education going forward, instead of drilling students.
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