(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order he says will make active shooter drills less traumatic for students. In Illinois, similar provisions were passed by the legislature in 2021.
With Biden’s executive order, states across the nation will follow provisions similar to what’s laid out in Illinois’ amended School Safety Drill Act, according to state Rep. Dennis Tipsword, R-Metamora, who served for 17 years with the Woodford County Sheriff’s Office.
“When we would practice in high schools, it was not uncommon to have student actors acting as victims, there would be a shooter,” Tipsword said. “Under these new rules, we are making kids sitting ducks and they’re told to just go lockdown in their classroom.”
Tipsword called it “sad” that the law in Illinois, similar to Biden’s executive order, passed.
During his time in law enforcement, Tipsword said parents, teachers and students appreciated the “realistic” drills despite them being difficult. Under the executive order, Tipsword said states across the country may have to modify ALICE, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.
“I think the only thing it would take away from other states, not us [Illinoisans] because we already have this, you can’t have student actors or simulated gun shots,” said Tipsword. “The concept of ALICE is flee if possible or fight back, I think it’ll still be taught but it’ll be modified. We have to get out of this idea of going into a room, shutting off the lights and locking the doors. That doesn’t work.”
Biden’s order creates new guidance for schools on “how to implement evidence-informed, effective, and age- and developmentally appropriate school-based drills.”
Tipsword said Biden’s order and the law signed a couple of years ago in Illinois take tools away from schools and law enforcement to be prepared in horrible situations, like a school shooting.
“This shouldn’t be broad-brushed coming from the state or the federal government. This should be school district decisions, where school districts decide how they want to prepare for incidents like this,” said Tipsword. “We’re not going to do these drills in K-5th grade, that’s a completely different drill. But when you get into the 8th grade and above, they have an entirely different skill set that they can bring in case something were to happen in their schools.”
Some states require schools to train students in techniques, like how to “counter” attackers by distracting them or pelting them with classroom objects like books. Proponents of orders like Biden’s or Illinois’ School Safety Drill Act say those techniques are controversial, over-realistic and can be traumatic.
“[Prior to Illinois enacting the limitations] we had the fire departments, EMS involved and it was all about getting the paramedics into the schools to start rendering aid and it gave the paramedics a look at what it would look like for them,” said Tipsword. “It was a difficult drill because it brought reality to what could happen, but it gave everyone involved that look so they could be somewhat prepared if it ever happened.”
The National Association of School Psychologists and the National Association of School Resource Officers issued guidance on school shooter drills in 2022 that supported lockdown procedures and said that simulations should be used to train law enforcement officers, not students.
