The drills began taking shape after the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. But 20 years later, parents are increasingly questioning elements of the practice, including whether the drills traumatize kids. Thirty-nine states require lockdown, active-shooter or similar safety drills. But even as the drills become routine for many of the nation’s 51 million elementary and secondary public school students, there is no consensus on how they should be conducted, experts said. Others complained that such realistic exercises can take a toll on classroom learning even after the drills are done.

Source: National Post February 10, 2019 17:15 UTC