Code reds are terrifying drills that evoke fear in students all around the country.  Hiding under desks and tables and hoping not to have a shooter walk into your classroom is quite horrifying, but the fear doubles when your teachers and administrators are training you to attack the intruder. Students ranging from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade are being prepared to slam the shooter with books, chairs, and even tables; this may be effective in getting rid of the shooter, but what happens if one of the students or teachers is harmed in the process?

This idea of bombarding the intruder has been around for a couple years now, so it’s not unusual to hear of these practices being demonstrated at various schools around the country, especially as the rate of school shootings increase.  This is a popular idea, and many believe it can save hundreds of lives.  But, is it worth the risk?  Sophomore Rashelle Toro stated, “Fighting back can be too dangerous and we just need a plan or procedure that we follow, if something happens, that will keep us safe.”  Not that hiding in closets is the best option for safety, but a secure route through the school and then out of the building would be a great plan of action for classrooms and administrators to ensure the safety of themselves and others.

“I think teaching kids to fight back is a little too much to ask for,” said sophomore Jenna Gould.  “Students should be taught a few different plans in case of a shooter, because every situation can be different, and one plan probably isn’t enough to work and keep everyone safe all the time every time.”  There is an endless number of things that could happen in a code red, and we should not bring out fear in kids for no reason.  If we were to create, say, 5 different plans that would work for the most basic situations, we would be more prepared and less frantic if an actual emergency were to take place.

Children that are only 7 years old should not have to endure the terror of fighting back when a shooter walks into the room. It is scary enough when you are sitting in the dark and hear the door handle turn but it’s just the administrators checking to make sure you’re following the procedure.