Threats to schools are an unfortunate reality facing administrators. In order to properly assess these threats and guarantee student safety, administrators rely on a few best practices. The big questions are “Is evacuation always necessary?” and “Who should search the school?” Some schools complain that police and canine involvement takes too long. They also argue that teachers know the lay of the land better and will notice more quickly if something is out of place. Besides managing bomb threats, administrative leadership also needs to consider pre-incident training. In the past, threats were mere pranks, but recently, statistics have shown that the threats are more violent and more serious. Given the very real state of school violence today, schools need to be ready at all times.
Pre-Incident Training for Teachers, Students and School Safety
Being prepared for a school threat incident starts with developing good stakeholder and community relationships. School safety depends on trust and a community of people who look out for one another. Start by contacting local law enforcement officers to find out what resources are currently available and how to access them. Ask them if they might come to the school to do a presentation for teachers and for students. Using building plans, school representatives should work together to identify which teachers can be responsible for which areas. This is also a good time to establish evacuation exits and routes. Installing an internal communication system early on is important so that teachers know how to stay informed during an incident and how to keep administrative leadership informed. Some schools practice lockdown drills so that students and teachers are ready for a real incident.
Setting Up a Command Center
In order to keep everything under as much control as possible, it is usually necessary to set up a command center. This point of operations control is usually in the main office of a school. This is where administrative leadership works to maintain school safety. A main computer can track all aspects of the incident. It is here at the command center that the major decisions about this particular incident will occur.
Making Decisions About Handling Threats
Each threat will require a different response. There are several factors to consider before taking action:
- The nature and scale of the threat. Every threat is different. Some occur at specific schools, while others target a district or even a city. Additionally, threats come as phone calls, text messages, and online innuendos. Before choosing to close a school, evacuate temporarily, or call for a lockdown, administrative leadership must consider the ramifications of each threat.
- The cost of potential closures. There are additional costs associated with closing a school, from hourly wages to loss of prepared food. Sometimes, buses can cost more when schools call for them early.
- Public perception. Depending on who controls the school closure — the city, state, or district — the public may react differently. It is critical to communicate what is happening and why via as many media channels (text, internet, phone) as possible.
- Environment in local area. When schools incur many threats, or if they are in a bigger city where the potential for danger may be higher, the decision-making may be more extreme. School leaders must look to similar environments to compare options.
How to Perform Searches
One of the more crucial components of threat management is deciding how to search a school. Many schools wait hours for law enforcement to arrive, and then spend more time explaining the layout of the school. These enforcement officers are not familiar with what is normal for that school, so they may take much more time to discover an issue or declare everything safe. One of the options for schools is to train and use teachers for searches. Teachers know their schools inside and out. They will immediately recognize when something is out of place.
Dealing With Post-Incident Issues
After a school returns to normal, it is important to assess everyone for stress. The students will be a priority, but it is also important to speak with teachers and administrative leadership, especially those who were directly involved in making decisions and performing searches. School safety is a top concern for school communities. Communicated properly, it can make all stakeholders feel more confident.
Learn more about the Lamar University online M.Ed. in Administration program.
Sources:
Education Week: Five Factors Leaders Consider Before Closing Schools to Respond to Threats
The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress: Managing Bomb Threats for School Administrators
