Are your schools locked?

NHbride129 · December 2012

When my son was in daycare as a baby it was high security. We had to push a code into the door to get in. But I've noticed all the preschools around here ... you just walk right in. Why are daycares so high security and schools are not?

Mrs.Hizzo · December 2012

No, but I'm willing to bet they will be after Christmas break.

dairygirl19 · December 2012

The school I work in..all the doors are locked at 8-3pm except for the main entrance which comes right by the main office. You have to sign in, get a name tag, designate where you're going etc.

We have issues with non custodial parents along some cultural stuff going on, so this sign in has been very effective with that.

However, I was thinking last night I don't think it would prevent something like yesterday's events from happening at my school. In this small town everyone knows everyone and if a teacher's son stopped by they'd chat about the weather and let him through. It's a hard situation because I don't think anyone would really think twice about it.

NHbride129 · December 2012

I have a feeling things will change around here too.

I feel even more sad today. It's all sunk in and I feel so terrible for those families.

NHbride129 · December 2012

dairygirl19:
The school I work in..all the doors are locked at 8-3pm except for the main entrance which comes right by the main office. You have to sign in, get a name tag, designate where you're going etc.
We have issues with non custodial parents along some cultural stuff going on, so this sign in has been very effective with that.
However, I was thinking last night I don't think it would prevent something like yesterday's events from happening at my school. In this small town everyone knows everyone and if a teacher's son stopped by they'd chat about the weather and let him through. It's a hard situation because I don't think anyone would really think twice about it.

I agree that it's not going to make the school totally safe, but at least it's doing something. That guy would have still been able to get in yesterday, but he would of at least had to hide the guns and not worn the crazy battle clothes.

dairygirl19 · December 2012

NHbride129:
dairygirl19:
The school I work in..all the doors are locked at 8-3pm except for the main entrance which comes right by the main office. You have to sign in, get a name tag, designate where you're going etc.
We have issues with non custodial parents along some cultural stuff going on, so this sign in has been very effective with that.
However, I was thinking last night I don't think it would prevent something like yesterday's events from happening at my school. In this small town everyone knows everyone and if a teacher's son stopped by they'd chat about the weather and let him through. It's a hard situation because I don't think anyone would really think twice about it.
I agree that it's not going to make the school totally safe, but at least it's doing something. That guy would have still been able to get in yesterday, but he would of at least had to hide the guns and not worn the crazy battle clothes.

This is true. Our secretary questions a lot actually..so a teacher's son in battle gear would've sounded the alarms for sure and sent the school into lockdown.

So I do agree with you as well.

notkateanymore · December 2012

dairygirl19:
The school I work in..all the doors are locked at 8-3pm except for the main entrance which comes right by the main office. You have to sign in, get a name tag, designate where you're going etc.
We have issues with non custodial parents along some cultural stuff going on, so this sign in has been very effective with that.
However, I was thinking last night I don't think it would prevent something like yesterday's events from happening at my school. In this small town everyone knows everyone and if a teacher's son stopped by they'd chat about the weather and let him through. It's a hard situation because I don't think anyone would really think twice about it.

We have the same set-up and it wouldn't fix what happened...he shot people in the office and then moved into the classrooms. The same thing could happen at our school because everybody knows everybody and the office, while a good set-up for protection against kidnapping not really able to stop somebody with a gun or three.

notkateanymore · December 2012

NHbride129:

I agree that it's not going to make the school totally safe, but at least it's doing something. That guy would have still been able to get in yesterday, but he would of at least had to hide the guns and not worn the crazy battle clothes.

What does what he's wearing have to do with anything?

nosoup4u · December 2012

The schools in our district are locked during the day. I know my son's school unlocks the doors around pick up/drop off (he's in pre-K), but it's locked during most of the school day. We're in a major city, though, and it's been like that as long as I've worked for the district (I'm a teacher).

As horrible as this whole thing is, the actual chance of a student dying at school is actually very low, especially in elementary school.

https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/preventingattacksreport.pdf

"To put the problem of targeted school-based attacks in context, from 1993 to 1997, the odds that a child in grades 9-12 would be threatened or injured with a weapon in school were 7 to 8 percent, or 1 in 13 or 14; the odds of getting into a physical fight at school were 15 percent, or 1 in 7. In contrast, the odds that a child would die in school?by homicide or suicide?are, fortunately, no greater than 1 in 1 million."

AGagain · December 2012

Yes our schools are locked down the only unlocked door leads directly into the office and even the interior door from the office into the school is locked you have to be buzzed in. The only way to get into the school is to provide a valid state ID which is then run through the computer and background checked. Only relatives on the list I provide are even allowed in the school. Still I am not naive enough to think even with all the proper precautions in place this could not happen to us. Where there is a will there is a way.

MesmrEwe · December 2012

dairygirl19:
The school I work in..all the doors are locked at 8-3pm except for the main entrance which comes right by the main office. You have to sign in, get a name tag, designate where you're going etc.
We have issues with non custodial parents along some cultural stuff going on, so this sign in has been very effective with that.
However, I was thinking last night I don't think it would prevent something like yesterday's events from happening at my school. In this small town everyone knows everyone and if a teacher's son stopped by they'd chat about the weather and let him through. It's a hard situation because I don't think anyone would really think twice about it.

Just this!

DD's school is like going into Ft. Knox such that even if I'm helping her carry a project into school, there are still checking in points. It's a royal PITA overkill and the PP is right, given the parameters of yesterday's events, it likely wouldn't have prevented anything. The part that royally bugs me though is that you cannot gain entry to the school during the school hours if you're handicap/on restrictions and need to use the elevator!!

MAprincess · December 2012

DD's preschool is locked. DS's elementary school is also locked. They can see the door from the front office and buzz people in. There is an intercom also. They don't allow people in who are not supposed to be there or don't otherwise have an appointment.

Daycares are more secure to prevent kidnappings, I think. It doesn't have anything to do with shooters.

I also still think that relatives of staff shouldn't just be allowed it. Teachers shouldn't have social visitors while they are working. Though it looks like this guy shot out a door, so short of bullet proof glass, nothing would have stopped him.

Chapter79 · December 2012

My daughter is in a public elementary, and the doors are locked. You buzz a button and they have a camera there at the door to watch you. They tell you to go directly to the office once in. IF they do not recognize you, you state who you are BEFORE going in and explain why you are there "I'm here to pick up xxxx because I got a call he's sick" ... then they check a list they have (on the first day of school we all had to fill it out with ANY possible person who would pick up our child in emergency) and they have you hold up your ID. If you aren't on the list, you do not go in.

I'm pretty confident with the setup, but I know that in ANY setup and through any safety measures, bad can still happen. Anyone can break through windows if they want to.

mrswright2006 · December 2012

Yes and no. I am pretty certain, teachers are to have their doors locked at all times - at least that is what is required for my mom in the high school (K12 is in the same building). The hallways and door at the end of each corridor in the elementary are open, because that is how they get to their playground and pick up/drop off. The front door is locked and there is a video surveillance system in place the montiors each hallway and entry point. Of course, something horrible could happen there, but all in all, I do feel they are protecting the kids, and trying to do the best they can on a limited budget (it is a small school in an underfunded state with 50-60 kids in a class, so security guards are and intricate security systems are not really things I see happening)

joyfullyfound · December 2012

At the daycare (which also ran a preschool in the other half of the building) I worked at, parents or visitors could enter the building through an unlocked door into a foyer where all the kids' stuff was, but couldn't go any farther as the door into the rest of the preschool and daycare area was locked and could only be opened from the inside. The door and surrounding wall were all made of glass, so we could always see who was coming in.

We live in a fairly rural area, so generally preschools and daycares are unlocked and everybody knows everybody.

OUKatie · December 2012

At the school I taught at (public elementary), all outside doors are locked at all times except for the main entrance door. A second set of doors was installed a few years ago so that everyone is forced to go into the office, get tagged (you must have your ID scanned through Raptor to be allowed into the building unless you work there and have a badge), then the office has a button to unlock the door to enter the rest of the building.

It can be a pain at times but it is worth it. It kind of sucks if a kid forgets something in the gym or on the playground but I just sent 2 kids if someone just had to go outside in the back (the kid who needed to get something and another to wait just inside the door to let them back in the building).

We taught the kids to NEVER open the doors for anyone, even their teacher or parent.

LoriLee14 · December 2012

MAprincess:

DD's preschool is locked. DS's elementary school is also locked. They can see the door from the front office and buzz people in. There is an intercom also. They don't allow people in who are not supposed to be there or don't otherwise have an appointment.

Daycares are more secure to prevent kidnappings, I think. It doesn't have anything to do with shooters.

I also still think that relatives of staff shouldn't just be allowed it. Teachers shouldn't have social visitors while they are working. Though it looks like this guy shot out a door, so short of bullet proof glass, nothing would have stopped him.

My MIL is a school teacher and i have been there to visit her or drop something off. I do it during her break (while kids are in PE/Art/Music - so she doesn't have kids) She likes to see the baby and have her fellow workers see him.

I see it as the same as when i go and have lunch with my mom, It is her break

As for the school, all doors are locked from the outside except the front door. But they all know me there. I talk to them while i sign in and they usually already know where i am going.

LadyTyler · December 2012

Where we are, there is no way to lock down a school because there aren't big buildings. Classrooms are in rows of 4 but there are just covered hallways between buildings. Library, gym, computer lab, etc are almost always separate. A lot of the elementary schools haven't built a new classroom in 30 year, so they use portable buildings for the overflow; the portables are often far away from other classes and near the street. Strangers walking around are definitely questioned if a teacher comes upon them and the high schools have 2-3 security guards walking around, but that is about it for security.

MAprincess · December 2012

LoriLee14:
MAprincess:

DD's preschool is locked. DS's elementary school is also locked. They can see the door from the front office and buzz people in. There is an intercom also. They don't allow people in who are not supposed to be there or don't otherwise have an appointment.

Daycares are more secure to prevent kidnappings, I think. It doesn't have anything to do with shooters.

I also still think that relatives of staff shouldn't just be allowed it. Teachers shouldn't have social visitors while they are working. Though it looks like this guy shot out a door, so short of bullet proof glass, nothing would have stopped him.

My MIL is a school teacher and i have been there to visit her or drop something off. I do it during her break (while kids are in PE/Art/Music - so she doesn't have kids) She likes to see the baby and have her fellow workers see him.

I see it as the same as when i go and have lunch with my mom, It is her break

As for the school, all doors are locked from the outside except the front door. But they all know me there. I talk to them while i sign in and they usually already know where i am going.

If she is on break, she can step outside the building. Sorry, I still don't see the need to have extra unauthorized people in the building. She can see the baby outside of work time. When I worked, even if I was on break o lunch, I couldn't have visitors in our office- I would have to leave and meet them at a restaurant or anywhere else that is general public area. And we had no children in our building. It was a security measure because there were so many government offices in the building. If we can have that measure for government offices, then why not schools?

This was the son of a teacher, right? Whose to say you didn't lose it when they buzz you in? Of course, teachers/administrators can go crazy or a crazy person can shoot a door out and get into the school. But I stand by my statement that we should minimize the general traffic in the schools, if possible.

NHbride129 · December 2012

Wow thanks, it's interesting to see the different security measures different towns have. I'm sure the precautions are useful in many situations, it's too bad probably nothing could have prevented a situation like yesterday.

LoriLee14 · December 2012

MAprincess:
LoriLee14:
MAprincess:

DD's preschool is locked. DS's elementary school is also locked. They can see the door from the front office and buzz people in. There is an intercom also. They don't allow people in who are not supposed to be there or don't otherwise have an appointment.

Daycares are more secure to prevent kidnappings, I think. It doesn't have anything to do with shooters.

I also still think that relatives of staff shouldn't just be allowed it. Teachers shouldn't have social visitors while they are working. Though it looks like this guy shot out a door, so short of bullet proof glass, nothing would have stopped him.

My MIL is a school teacher and i have been there to visit her or drop something off. I do it during her break (while kids are in PE/Art/Music - so she doesn't have kids) She likes to see the baby and have her fellow workers see him.

I see it as the same as when i go and have lunch with my mom, It is her break

As for the school, all doors are locked from the outside except the front door. But they all know me there. I talk to them while i sign in and they usually already know where i am going.

If she is on break, she can step outside the building. Sorry, I still don't see the need to have extra unauthorized people in the building. She can see the baby outside of work time. When I worked, even if I was on break o lunch, I couldn't have visitors in our office- I would have to leave and meet them at a restaurant or anywhere else that is general public area. And we had no children in our building. It was a security measure because there were so many government offices in the building. If we can have that measure for government offices, then why not schools?

This was the son of a teacher, right? Whose to say you didn't lose it when they buzz you in? Of course, teachers/administrators can go crazy or a crazy person can shoot a door out and get into the school. But I stand by my statement that we should minimize the general traffic in the schools, if possible.

I do it once in a blue moon. mostly because other people want to see baby too. I used to work there too. I don't go while they have kids because i know how disruptive to the classroom it can be

My mom works for the government (probate) and i am probably one of the least crazy that walks through those doors. including the legally crazies that come there and the police have to be called.

My dad worked at a prison. I was allowed to go see him at work while i was in highschool.

I have been to my friends coast guard base with no questions asked other than an id

But i can not go see my husband at the state docks.

weird.

MAprincess · December 2012

LoriLee14:
MAprincess:
LoriLee14:
MAprincess:

DD's preschool is locked. DS's elementary school is also locked. They can see the door from the front office and buzz people in. There is an intercom also. They don't allow people in who are not supposed to be there or don't otherwise have an appointment.

Daycares are more secure to prevent kidnappings, I think. It doesn't have anything to do with shooters.

I also still think that relatives of staff shouldn't just be allowed it. Teachers shouldn't have social visitors while they are working. Though it looks like this guy shot out a door, so short of bullet proof glass, nothing would have stopped him.

My MIL is a school teacher and i have been there to visit her or drop something off. I do it during her break (while kids are in PE/Art/Music - so she doesn't have kids) She likes to see the baby and have her fellow workers see him.

I see it as the same as when i go and have lunch with my mom, It is her break

As for the school, all doors are locked from the outside except the front door. But they all know me there. I talk to them while i sign in and they usually already know where i am going.

If she is on break, she can step outside the building. Sorry, I still don't see the need to have extra unauthorized people in the building. She can see the baby outside of work time. When I worked, even if I was on break o lunch, I couldn't have visitors in our office- I would have to leave and meet them at a restaurant or anywhere else that is general public area. And we had no children in our building. It was a security measure because there were so many government offices in the building. If we can have that measure for government offices, then why not schools?

This was the son of a teacher, right? Whose to say you didn't lose it when they buzz you in? Of course, teachers/administrators can go crazy or a crazy person can shoot a door out and get into the school. But I stand by my statement that we should minimize the general traffic in the schools, if possible.

I do it once in a blue moon. mostly because other people want to see baby too. I used to work there too. I don't go while they have kids because i know how disruptive to the classroom it can be

My mom works for the government (probate) and i am probably one of the least crazy that walks through those doors. including the legally crazies that come there and the police have to be called.

My dad worked at a prison. I was allowed to go see him at work while i was in highschool.

I have been to my friends coast guard base with no questions asked other than an id

But i can not go see my husband at the state docks.

weird.

I hear you- I'm not saying you ARE crazy. I'm just stating that while people are allowed breaks at work, they shouldn't necessarily be allowed to bring people into their place of work at that time. I am willing to bet that will change now.

And I'm hoping they didn't let you mingle with the general population at the prison!

12bailey18 · December 2012

Mrs.Hizzo:
No, but I'm willing to bet they will be after Christmas break.

This.

LoriLee14 · December 2012

MAprincess:
LoriLee14:
MAprincess:
LoriLee14:
MAprincess:

DD's preschool is locked. DS's elementary school is also locked. They can see the door from the front office and buzz people in. There is an intercom also. They don't allow people in who are not supposed to be there or don't otherwise have an appointment.

Daycares are more secure to prevent kidnappings, I think. It doesn't have anything to do with shooters.

I also still think that relatives of staff shouldn't just be allowed it. Teachers shouldn't have social visitors while they are working. Though it looks like this guy shot out a door, so short of bullet proof glass, nothing would have stopped him.

My MIL is a school teacher and i have been there to visit her or drop something off. I do it during her break (while kids are in PE/Art/Music - so she doesn't have kids) She likes to see the baby and have her fellow workers see him.

I see it as the same as when i go and have lunch with my mom, It is her break

As for the school, all doors are locked from the outside except the front door. But they all know me there. I talk to them while i sign in and they usually already know where i am going.

If she is on break, she can step outside the building. Sorry, I still don't see the need to have extra unauthorized people in the building. She can see the baby outside of work time. When I worked, even if I was on break o lunch, I couldn't have visitors in our office- I would have to leave and meet them at a restaurant or anywhere else that is general public area. And we had no children in our building. It was a security measure because there were so many government offices in the building. If we can have that measure for government offices, then why not schools?

This was the son of a teacher, right? Whose to say you didn't lose it when they buzz you in? Of course, teachers/administrators can go crazy or a crazy person can shoot a door out and get into the school. But I stand by my statement that we should minimize the general traffic in the schools, if possible.

I do it once in a blue moon. mostly because other people want to see baby too. I used to work there too. I don't go while they have kids because i know how disruptive to the classroom it can be

My mom works for the government (probate) and i am probably one of the least crazy that walks through those doors. including the legally crazies that come there and the police have to be called.

My dad worked at a prison. I was allowed to go see him at work while i was in highschool.

I have been to my friends coast guard base with no questions asked other than an id

But i can not go see my husband at the state docks.

weird.

I hear you- I'm not saying you ARE crazy. I'm just stating that while people are allowed breaks at work, they shouldn't necessarily be allowed to bring people into their place of work at that time. I am willing to bet that will change now.

And I'm hoping they didn't let you mingle with the general population at the prison!

In a way yes, He woked in a building outside of the prison (right outside) that delt with shipping furniture. It would be the same as when there are prisoners that are working on the side of the road or at colleges. It is their work and are the lesser criminals. But they all knew that i played basketball and wanted to talk to me. I never thought anything of it till i couldn't go see my husband at work.

Cherryblossoms07 · December 2012

My kids don't go to school yet, but the school that I attended went to lock down a few years after I graduated, around 1999 and Columbine. I was shocked to find that I could no longer walk straight in any more. I grew up in a town of 900 so I don't think anything happened to necessitate locking it down (either that or it would have been talk of the town Smile

). I am guessing they just wanted to be safe after the incident in CO.

AgrippaRidesAgain · December 2012

DS's preschool is locked, and the teachers close and lock the doors when the kids are in the classrooms as well.

shortstuff15 · December 2012

What about the inside doors? At the local elementary school the classroom doors have to be locked so that should something like this happen, it would make for harder access to the students. If you go to the bathroom or are late or something like that, you have to knock to be let back in. I have no idea whether the outside doors are locked during school hours but I would imagine so?

LoriLee14 · December 2012

dhviel:
What about the inside doors? At the local elementary school the classroom doors have to be locked so that should something like this happen, it would make for harder access to the students. If you go to the bathroom or are late or something like that, you have to knock to be let back in. I have no idea whether the outside doors are locked during school hours but I would imagine so?

not sure, when i was a substitute teacher and we did the lock down drill, i didn't have a key and had to have a janitor come by and lock us in. We took it serious but i didn't really think that something like this would happen. Something they should think about.

pastalady · December 2012

DD's preschool is locked. You can only be let in by the buzzer. There are also two sets of locked doors, both you have to be buzzed in.

MaxandRuby · December 2012

The elementary school my children will go to for the most part is but I'm talking strictly about the front door to the school (I don't know about the rest of the entrances). At this school, the immediate front door is open but you have to get buzzed into the office to actually enter the school. But once you are in the office you are in the school and seems like you could go pretty much anywhere.

Want a personalized experience?

Are your schools locked?

Re: Are your schools locked?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards