Prev Next
Featured Quizzes
Politix Daily Headlines
Featured Debates
Issues

See all 17 issues

People
White House

See all people

A KEY ISSUE

Should Classroom Doors Be Locked to Protect Against School Shootings?

Educators are debating whether locked doors lead to more security or less oversight

Next>

by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t

Image: AP

Educators and local communities around the nation are deciding whether to lock classroom doors during the school day as a way to keep students safer in the aftermath of last month's mass-shooting at a Newtown, Conn. elementary school.

It may seem like an open-and-shut case so to speak, a no-brainer. Locked classroom doors would limit access to unwanted visitors. Someone looking to cause trouble would encounter a locked door and it may be just enough to get them to move on to find one that is unlocked, some say.

Others argue that locking classroom doors would make it more disruptive for administrators and fellow teachers to drop in during the day to observe, leading to less academic oversight and collaboration. Some contend that locked doors could create more potential for abuses inside the classroom. If all the doors in the school are locked, it could make it more challenging for students and educators to find places to seek cover in the event of an emergency, some say.

The locked door dilemma is felt particularly strongly in the Los Angeles school district, where a third grade teacher last year was accused of committing lewd acts against students behind a locked classroom door, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Los Angeles teacher Mark Berndt was charged with 23 counts of lewd conduct for among other charges, allegedly spoon-feeding his semen to students. He pleaded not guilty and remains in jail on $23-million bail. In the aftermath of that incident, parents in the community demanded that classroom doors be left unlocked. But after the shooting in Newtown, Conn., many have now called for locked classroom doors, the Times said.

Via the Los Angeles Times
Like this article? B Vote Up
?

Should classroom doors in schools be kept locked during the day?

View results

Comments (view in Forum)

  • u
    Realthinker
    !
    The doors are locked from the *inside* which means the teacher can unlock it at any time to let students or other authorities in or out as needed. Further, those in authority would have the keys to unlocked the doors from the outside to prevent any form of abuse from going on inside the classroom. Then doors should ghave shades that can be pulled down to hide whether or not a classroom is occupied in the event of an armed attack.
    This is a no brainer.
  • o
    Sharpshooter
    !
    Tornados and fires can't go through a locked door.... WTF?

    On my planet, you would lock classroom doors from the INSIDE so bad guys can't enter. If you need to leave you unlock and open the door..... JEEZE!!!!
  • Post Removed by Moderators

  • View all 47 replies >

  • u
    RobertJHarsh
    !
    They were locked when I was in high school 20+ years ago. Mostly to keep out the kids who were late so they went to the "tardy room", where one got to write a paper on why they were late.

    I would love to post the ones I wrote but 1) I lost them and 2) I might get banned since when I wrote them I used quite colorful language and direct opinions of certain teachers and school officials at the time. I nearly got suspended for one I wrote.:)
  • PNWest
    !
    They were open when I went to school 40+ years ago. If you came in late you got stared at by the rest of the class and might get a detention. Too bad you lost your notes. I would have loved to have seen them posted.
  • AlexMIA
    !
    Did that always work? I remember when we were locked out for being late we went to the beach instead of the office. Haha
  • u
    RobertJHarsh
    !
    @PNWest My typical rant was along the lines of "why am I in here instead of learning". By the end (always minimum of 2 pages) I pretty much proved society was too sick to survive. I wrote some kind of paper like that and probably around 10th grade, they change to copying already written paper or 100 sentences saying the same thing. Must have been my fault.
  • u
    mynameisaric
    !
    @RobertJHarsh so they started crushing independent thinking 20 years ago? Sad day in America. When I was in high school 8 years ago, they gave us two hour detentions for being late and then suspended us for not going to the excessive detentions. I was never really sure what they were trying to achieve, because it sure didn't get me to come to school on time and the suspensions sure didn't help me learn anything either
  • MarkJM
    !
    You can lock the doors all you want, but if those doors aren't reinforced and have bulletproof glass windows, then it's pointless. Additionally, what about other natural disasters (i.e severe weather, earthquakes, etc.). What about bomb threats or fires? Sometimes, locking the children in a classroom is the worst option. Basically, this is not a "yes or no" question. All avenues have to be looked at here.
  • MarkJM
    !
    @Mogal for the record, I didn't trollbomb you. I actually agree with you on this one. There are too many variables on this subject and the unknowing are just basing their decisions off a potential school shooting. In many instances, it is actually more dangerous to lock up the classrooms.
  • Knightkore
    !
    @jamesmitchell Yeah...unfortunately...but than again locking the doors and chaining the doors are a bit different...locking the doors seems the sensible thing to do...

  • View all 6 replies >

  • puppybrownie
    !
    If the exterior doors are secure there would be no need to lock interior doors.
    A simple alarm system, which would then require the classroom doors to be locked, would have saved 26 lives in Newtown.
  • PNWest
    !
    Regardless if the doors were secure or not if Adam Lanza didn't have access to his mom's arsenal 26 lives would have been saved in Newtown.
  • Post Removed by Moderators
  •
    PNWest
    !
    @Republican5001 I agree with your point if not with your inflammatory language. It's a shame that GW Bush did nothing after being briefed at least 28 times that we know of prior to 9/11 about bin Laden planning on attacking America.
  • puppybrownie
    !
    @PNWest Let's see, installing "a simple alarm system" or rounding up all the bad parents and the deranged people who are labeled ADD, autistic, aspergers, etc, instead of being locked up. Which is more doable?
  • PNWest
    !
    @puppybrownie Let's see - maybe reasonable gun control so that nut bags don't have access to guns. How well would your alarm system worked if Lanza came at recess when the kids were outside or at lunch time when they were in the cafeteria?

  • View all 15 replies >

  • Neo_NtheMatrix
    !
    I fear the direction our poor nation is headed in. I don't know how anyone could feel different. We truly need competent leadership to navigate us through these very difficult and trying times. That is something America sorely misses right now. We're going to end up turning our schools into prisons and our children and grandchildren will grow up already used to the feeling of being in a prison state. We are indeed facing some woeful times. So sad...
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
    !
    @Food4thoughts - Seems like you made a leap in conclusion. I said we need national leadership to help us navigate through these difficult decisions. The absence of leadership has left a vast hole in our national dialogue.
  • Food4thoughts
    !
    @Neo_NtheMatrix

    "We're going to end up turning our schools into prisons and our children and grandchildren will grow up already used to the feeling of being in a prison state."

    I'm sorry I guess took the above statement that was against locking classroom doors as a deterrent to school shootings.

    Did I interpret you wrong?

  • View all 38 replies >

  • u
    Cheenoguy
    !
    It won't solve the problem, but it can't hurt. A shooter can get through if he really wants to, but its going to take some work. The harder something is the less likely it is to be done. This isn't "the" answer, but it can contribute to the solution at zero cost.
    As far as the "less academic oversight" problem? They can't knock? An extra 20 seconds distraction by a visitor is surely worth the possibility that it could help save lives.
  • u
    Realthinker
    !
    The doors would be locked from the *inside* which means the teacher can unlock it at any time to let students or other authorities in or out as needed, such as a fire or tornado. Further, those in authority would have the keys to unlock the doors from the outside to prevent any form of abuse from going on inside the classroom. Then doors should have shades that can be pulled down to hide whether or not a classroom is occupied in the event of an armed attack. Bullet proof doors? Absolutely.
    This is a no brainer. It is also a no brainer that we need to put more money in researching mental illness and treating those who suffer from it. NOW.
  • u
    Synthesis
    !
    My school has all doors locked and it works fine. If you're late to class you can knock on the door or go to the office for a late pass (or tardy).
  • kathyparsell
    !
    Throughout this macabre debate, I have been amazed that the schools my children have attended in rural Southwest VA (since 1998), have had security measures like entry doors that require intercom admittance, cameras, resource officer, and various drills throughout the year in which the teacher locks the door. The issue of locked classroom doors seems distruptive and potentially threatening to the student psyche, for the chance that it might someday be needed.
  • AlexMIA
    !
    Locked doors from the outside will make students safer. The door should still be openable from inside the class room, and administrators can always have a master key for access.
  • cat2009
    !
    The doors in the classrooms all have windows so you don't need to leave the doors unlock in case someone wants to monitor the class. And if a tornado hits your school a locked door isn't going to save you.
  • Post Removed by Moderators
  • u
    fistv
    !
    The doors should be backed with bullet stopping material and the windows should also be bullet proof. As far as locks are concerned, not only should they be locked but the teacher and administration should have panic buttons that would drop 4 deadbolts in place to secure the door.
  • u
    Litdes
    !
    Does anyone think a standard interior door is going to be an effective deterrent against an armed gunman bent upon havoc? Why not simply make the schools up to prison grade and hire correctional officers to oversee the operations. We could install guard towers and even install electrified fences with razor wire. Surely that would solve the issue of schools being a soft target.
  • o
    Sharpshooter
    !
    The entire issue of school shootings is also a textbook example of self paralyzing through analysis.

    It seems as though the anti-gun people absolutely REFUSE to allow any solution that doesn't entail taking guns or magazines away from SOMEBODY.

    I don't agree that a gun control measure is the solution and likely won't because I have never heard a rational reasoned argument for how one would accomplish the stated goal of preventing shootings like these.

    Note I said a reasoned rational argument, not platitudes and the obligatory "we should try anything."

    Well Hoplophobes of Politix... please tell me why this idea doesn't deserve a try? It's FREE, it doesn't put anyone else in the building with or without a gun and violates nobody's rights.

    Other that the wack job concern that a tornado will be more deadly were it to hit a school with locked classroom doors I can't see ANY downside.

    Why are people resistant to such an idea... is taking guns away THAT important. Are the Hoplophobes afraid the coagulated blood of 20 children will be less effective in greasing the gun grabber skids? What's the deal?
  • R Load more comments...