LOCKDOWNS NOT AS SCARY AS THEY SOUND

Barrhaven Youth Beat

"And then they tie you to the wall and the dogs sniff you out until
they find the drugs".

These were the words used to describe to me what a lockdown was when
I was a fresh-faced seventh grader.

The word lockdown provokes different images in people's minds. Do you
think of a jail? Correctional facility? School? School is rarely
mentioned in the same sentence as a jail or correctional facility,
but the fact is students are subjected to lockdowns as well. A
lockdown involves the locking of all classroom doors and the emptying
of hallways of students. Police officers come in, usually with
canines, and inspect students' lockers. Inspect not for neatness or
order, but drugs and weapons.

Lockdowns have become more and more common in schools nowadays than
ever before but nearly half the readers of this column have probably
never even experienced a lockdown. In all honesty, it isn't quite as
terrifying as it is made out to be.

While it is somewhat unnerving, most students drone because they may
be stuck doing classwork even longer since lockdowns can last up to
two class periods.

A teacher will close the door, lock it, and move the class away from
all windows. As seen with the student who went on a rampage at John
McCrae Secondary School recently, this is a safety precaution.

This is the cue for students in the windowless classrooms to moan.
Why would they moan? Because as long as you're locked in class and
not near a window, everything returns to normal.

For the first few minutes students may be asked to sit against the
classroom wall, but after about fifteen minutes, students resume their work.

At the end of all the lockdown, an announcement comes on to let
students know the lockdown is over.

Some students may even be taken away for questioning by the
authorities. As long as you're not in possession of any illegal
substances or firearms, then just sit back and get back to working on
that essay!