Active Shooter Drills That Prepare But Don’t Traumatize: Advice From Principals

New York state, home to the largest school district in the country, is the latest to ban schools from conducting “realistic” active shooter drills with fake blood and the sound of gunfire.

The new rule, which goes into effect at the start of this school year, calls for a more “trauma-informed” and “age-appropriate” approach to shooter drills that excludes the use of props, actors, or tactics depicting violence when school or extracurricular activities are in session. New Jersey, Minnesota, and Washington have enacted similar measures, and California is considering similar legislation.

The small minority of principals who’ve experienced a school shooting or led a school in the immediate aftermath say they have to be especially cautious to find a middle ground between preparing students for a violent attack and protecting their mental health. Here, two such principals share their experiences.