1. Review the Feather River Adventist School Safety Alert.

These discussion points are applicable to this attack as well, especially point number 1. 

 The suspect in this attack took her own life before she was confronted by police. They found her on the ground and it is unknown or unreported if she had any remaining ammunition. If she is like all the other school attackers, she had the ability to continue attacking but took her own life instead reinforcing the fact that the threat is looking for victims and not a fight. 

This horrible fact greatly raises our risk level and confirms once again that our response, efforts, and determination must be improved if we want to prevent these threats.

2. This is Just a Drill.

A staff member from the school stated that when students practice a lockdown they are told, “this is just a drill…so when they heard 'lockdown, lockdown' and nothing else they knew it was real.” 

I recommend that you always call a drill a drill. 

I would never do an unannounced drill. Yes, I would surprise the staff with a lockdown drill but I would always announce that it’s just a drill. Primarily I don’t want to scare anyone or create fear and anxiety especially when it’s not absolutely necessary or guaranteed to produce the intended results. There’s a better way to speed up lockdowns. 

Implement the 7 Second Lockdown and use progression drills. 

Inform staff it’s just a drill and then count down from either 17, 12, or 7 seconds. The countdown creates pressure and forces the staff members to speed up which is the same purpose of not announcing it’s a drill. However, with the countdown staff members are racing to complete their critical tasks against a time limit instead of racing against the fear of it being real. 

I worry about their emotional health and I never want to do anything that could make our teachers’ and students’ day harder, scarier, or more anxious.

The other great thing about mastering progression drills is that it will make you safer but it will also improve your culture.

Schools that clearly define a problem (not locking down fast enough) and then work together to achieve a clearly defined goal (locking down in 7 seconds or less) that can be easily measured (countdown) then your culture will be improved. 

You have a problem. You came together to solve it. You solved it together! 

Trust, confidence, and respect for each other enhances culture and the better your culture, the safer your school.

3. No Names Until the Victims are Named.

It’s wrong that we know the name of the murderer before we know the names of the victims. The suspect’s family must have been notified so they released her name. They must be waiting to ensure the victim’s families are notified. I understand how it works, but I don’t like it. 

Victims always first—suspect second or not at all which leads me to my last point.

4. The Hard Truth.

Violence must always be condemned. The suspect’s actions must always be condemned. 

Without a doubt, the next school shooter is listening and will be influenced by what they hear or don’t hear. We have a chance to send them a message and our message as a society must be—this was wrong. You were wrong. You must not do this. We won’t celebrate or glorify you. There is never a valid reason to murder innocent people and we will never accept it. 

The more clear our message the better for everyone—including a potential threat. The more ambiguous our message—the worse for everyone—including the person considering using violence. 

Some comments have been made and I’m certain that they were said in a spirit of kindness, empathy, and grace. The hard truth is that we must fully and unconditionally condemn the actions, behavior, and choices of the suspect. 

As one person stated, “Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever.” 

Innocent people have been murdered and their loved ones will forever suffer. Anything less than complete and utter denouncement risks hurting the loved ones of the victims and planting or nursing a harmful and destructive seed.