Active-shooter drills for preschoolers: ‘This is who we are now’

Students are evacuated by police from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14 after a gunman opened fire on campus. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel/AP)

A 2016 report by the U.S. General Accountability Office — undertaken in part as a result of the 2012 shooting deaths of 26 students and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. — found that 40 states reported requiring schools to conduct emergency exercises to prepare for such a disaster.

While there are conflicting views about whether active shooting drills calm students who feel prepared for such a disaster — or create anxiety in them — active-shooter drills have become increasingly common for children of all ages, even as young as 2.

Law enforcement, school districts and even the Department of Homeland Security offer free active-shooter training online, and private trainers are offering their services free in the wake of this week’s killings of 17 people at a South Florida high school.

Here are some reactions from parents and others to the reality that in the United States, active-shooter training for kids is now routine because school shootings have become sickeningly routine.

Dropped off my 4-year-old. She’s been doing active-shooter drills since she was 2. This is who we are now.

— Ian Froeb (@ianfroeb) February 15, 2018

My four year old son does active shooter drills at school. His teacher has them all hide in a closet and tells them it's in case animals escape from the zoo.

— Christian Vanderbrouk (@UrbanAchievr) February 15, 2018

Today at work, I received an email from my 7 year old daughters school about their preparedness for an active shooter and I cried like a baby

— KayKayvonne (@VonneKay) February 15, 2018

As a teacher we’re taught to throw anything close to us at the attacker as part of ALICE training as if that’s going to stop an active shooter. I’m terrified for my children. https://t.co/JhEju12cth

— kkm (@ktstee) February 15, 2018

My husband told me this morning he was buying me a rope ladder and a window axe in case I ever needed to help my students escape from an active shooter - this is the reality for teachers in America

— Pernille Ripp (@pernilleripp) February 15, 2018

absolutely breaks my heart that i live in a country where school children actually practice "active shooter" drills.

a mass shooting is a brutally and savagely violent act.

and they are so common an occurrence that the most vulnerable among us make preparations.

it's chilling.

— fooler initiative (@metroadlib) February 14, 2018

My kids had an active shooter drill yesterday morning before the shootings. We used to teach kids to get under the desk in case a foreign enemy attacked. Now the enemy is within. #GunReformNow#ThursdayThoughts

— 𝔐𝔞𝔯𝔞 𝔍𝔞𝔡𝔢 🇺🇸 (@MaraJade_2017) February 15, 2018

My 4 year old had an active shooter drill at her daycare a few months back. My FOUR year old had an ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILL at her DAYCARE a few months back. #GunReformNow

— Jordan 🎄 (@LegitimateGeek) February 15, 2018

Active shooter training in American schools has become the new normal https://t.co/mH9uEa2FHc

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) February 15, 2018