In the Eye of the Storm: The Trauma of Lockdown Drills

It is 2023, and lockdown drills have become a regular part of school routines throughout the United States. While the intention behind these drills is to prepare students and staff for potential school threats, the reality is that they are causing significant stress, anxiety, and trauma in many children. As a child and adolescent psychotherapist, educator, and author, I have been on a mission to educate parents, educators, and others on what is really happening inside schools during these drills.

I have spoken with hundreds of children, parents, teachers, school nurses, educators, administrators, and local police to gain a better understanding of the impact of lockdown drills. Through their honest and heartfelt testimony, I have learned about the real experiences of America’s children. Below, I share Isabelle’s story (name changed to protect her privacy), to help you gain a glimpse into the life of a teen growing up during the epidemic of gun violence.

Isabelle, a high school sophomore, found herself alone in the echoing hallways, freshly dismissed from the bathroom. The mundane school day took a terrifying turn when the chilling announcement of a school lockdown echoed through the corridors.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted to the nearest classroom, her hand reaching out for the familiar cold metal of the doorknob. But it didn't turn. The door was locked. Panic surged through her like an electric shock, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps.

She raced down the hallway, her sneakers squeaking on the polished linoleum floor, her desperate eyes scanning for any sign of refuge. She tried door after door, but each one was like the last—firmly locked, a barrier standing between her and safety.

The usually bustling and lively school had transformed into a labyrinth of locked doors and deafening silence, leaving Isabelle alone and adrift in its eerie stillness. When the drill finally concluded, the hallways filled once again with the murmurs of students and the soft shuffle of feet. It was then that they found Isabelle, crumpled on the floor in the fetal position, her body racked with sobs. Her haunting words echoed through the hallway: "I don't want to die."

Isabelle had done everything right. She had followed the instructions ingrained in her through countless drills: Find a safe place to hide. Yet every door she tried was locked.

The teachers, too, were simply following protocol. Once a lockdown is initiated, doors are to remain locked and secured. They were operating under guidelines designed to keep their students safe. But in this case, those guidelines left one of their own feeling isolated and terrified.

The chilling reality of the situation served as a stark reminder to everyone involved: The rules and procedures put in place for lockdown drills, while well-intentioned, can sometimes yield unintended consequences. And for Isabelle, the experience was far more than just a drill; it was a harrowing encounter with fear and isolation, resulting in trauma.

Isabelle's account is deeply unsettling, not least because she and her teachers followed every protocol during the lockdown drill. This highlights a significant flaw in the system of drills itself. The real issue at hand is gun violence. Subjecting children to fear and terror, and making them believe they are on the brink of death, is not, and should never be deemed, an acceptable solution. It's high time we address the root cause instead of exposing children to such traumatic experiences.