Despite the ongoing debates surrounding gun violence and school security, the disturbing reality is that school violence, particularly school shootings, continues to escalate. This situation has left parents anxious about sending their children to school, while teachers and students live in fear of potential threats. The frequent lockdown drills and inconsistent safety measures have taken a toll on students’ mental health and their academic success. Amid all the rhetoric from media outlets and politicians, individuals and businesses are taking concrete steps to address this critical issue and make our schools safer.
Ingenious solutions have emerged to protect our children from the haunting specter of mass shootings at schools. Many of these innovations are effective in physically preventing an intruder from gaining access to a room. However, they often lack practicality, compliance with safety codes, and affordability.
Challenges with Existing School Lockdown Protocols
The confusion surrounding school lockdown protocols can be attributed to the lack of a standardized procedure. Surprisingly, the responsibility for school safety largely falls on superintendents and principals, who are not necessarily security experts. Despite their best intentions, these administrators find themselves thrust into a role they may not be adequately equipped for. The time has come for parents, security professionals, and legislators to establish a standardized and effective protocol for dealing with school shootings.
Why Other Student Protection Measures May Not Be the Solution
Numerous products and alternatives have been suggested to enhance school security, but many of them have significant limitations. Here are some of the most proposed protection options and why they fall short:
Door Barricades:
- Many school doors have small windows, making them vulnerable to attacks.
- Barricades, while preventing the door from opening, do not guarantee protection against forced entry.
- They often require a trained adult to install, which can be impractical during emergencies.
- Door barricades often violate fire codes and increase the risk of students being trapped in case of a fire.
- They must be removed before rescue services can enter.
- Their prices and effectiveness can vary widely, costing anywhere from $50 to $2,000 per classroom.
Security Cameras:
- Security cameras do not prevent incidents; they are primarily post-event tools.
- Their installation and monitoring services can be expensive, ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.
Armed Guards or Police Officers:
- The effectiveness of guards or officers is limited by their numbers.
- They can only protect their immediate location and are vulnerable to ambushes.
- Ongoing costs are substantial, with at least $45,000 required annually per guard.
Rolling Barricade:
- Designed for law enforcement, these are not suitable for student protection.
- They offer high costs for limited value, typically around $7,500 per unit.
A Simple and Effective Solution: Safety Doors
As the saying goes, “The simplest solution is usually the best solution.” In the context of classroom security, the best solution is not to barricade the door but to make the door itself nearly impenetrable. The straightforward approach is to replace standard doors with high-security, bullet-resistant doors. Door replacement is practical, affordable, and ensures compliance with safety codes. High-security doors effectively transform any room into a secure space, be it a classroom, cafeteria, locker room, or gym.
unitedoor recognized that their expertise and manufacturing capabilities could create a breakthrough solution to protect students. They combined components from their high-security forced entry and bullet-resistant embassy doors with their 90-minute UL-listed fire door to develop a signature classroom door. This innovation turns any classroom into a safe room by replacing the existing door with a high-security, multi-point bullet-resistant alternative.
Making Every Classroom a Safe Room
unitedoor has the capacity to produce up to 450 doors per day, sufficient to retrofit multiple schools or an entire school district.
The cost of their high-security doors averages only around $100 per child, excluding any potential grants or fundraising. For less than $10 per month per student, classrooms can become safe havens once again.
It’s time to rally schools, city officials, legislators, and more to mandate the installation of high-security doors in every school across the nation. However, you don’t need to wait for government action. Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and concerned parents are collaborating with school administrators to make this happen. Parents, determined to secure their children’s safety, are finding ways to fund these doors in their children’s schools. Join the movement and help transform classrooms into safe rooms for our students.
