Crisis Plan of Sandy Hook Elementary School - Case Study Example

School Crisis Plan Introduction Apparently, there have been crisis experienced in schools in the recent past. The cases of schoolshooting and harassment of students by either elder students or external intruders have risen to worrying levels. For instance, there have been over 200 violent killings in schools across America over the last ten years. In this regard, all schools are expected to develop effective crisis management plan in order to enhance smooth running of school operations and peaceful coexistence among the students, teachers and the surrounding community. The security management team in schools should receive provisions for essential resources and facilities to execute their duties effectively. In addition, communication between schools and the community should be strengthened for safer learning environment (Bagin, Gallagher, & Moore, (2012). In essence, crisis management is a fundamental constituent in establishing a safety environment for students, the staff and the community at large. Sandy Hook Elementary School A historic crisis happened in 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown that left several students dead and others severely injured. According to the area police chief, the staff of the schools responded appropriately in managing the crisis. The staff members and the security teams had tried all means to mitigate the shooting though it all ended in vain. An interview with a victim, nine year old, revealed that the shooter started by ordering all the occupants in the class to lie down before starting to shoot on them. The spokesperson at the incident was the school’s chair of the board. The chairman explained how the incidents caught everyone unaware since no one would have expected a student can cause such a crisis. Actually, the response from the chairman made it simple for all the stakeholders to understand the follow of events that caused the crisis. The public and the parents were made to understand how the staff tried to prevent the incident from getting to catastrophic levels. The spokesperson drove the crowd and the members of the press to a mutual reasoning session and everybody understood that the matter was complicated to handle since the assailant had planned the attack very technically. The information acquired from spokesman was clear for the public to understand the root cause of the crisis. In addition, the students were allowed to give information regarding the security system to the press. In response, the spokesperson was not bias in revealing the security threats facing the institution. Generally, communication is the most significant tool of solving security related issues in schools and making the public understand reality (Haynes, Moran & Pindzola, 2006). Crisis plan of Sandy Hook Elementary School The school has established a viable crisis management plan to handle emergency security issues within the school (Reid, 2000). The crisis management team is headed by a superintendent whose core duty is to organize school institutions that deal with crisis management. The institutions responsible for crisis management include the prefect body and the staff disciplinary committee. The institution had remained calm for many years without experiencing any serious crisis up to 2012 when the tragic mass shooting took place. The school had invested heavily on security before the incident took place, for instance, just a few months before the attack, the school installed new buzzer and a surveillance camera to ensure that visitors were monitored to avoid security threats. The school’s communication system facilitates dissemination of information among the various departments for quick response to crises (Philpott & Serluco, 2010). The students’ welfare department is open for all students in the institution to report any individual suspected to instigate a crisis. However, the crisis management plan is not efficient since it was unable to mitigate the 2012 shooting that claimed over twenty lives. In this regard, numerous changes that ought to be done to perfect the institution’s crisis management plan. Issues of concern that require amendments Strength of the Security team The crisis management plan for Sandy Hook Elementary School requires some few amendments to be compatible with the current security threats. The culprit who conducted the mass killing was able to maneuver his way to the classes without being noticed by the security team. The school needs to put in place effective security intelligent system for comprehensive investigation of any impending attack. The security team should incorporate all the stakeholders in the institution including the students and members of the community. Upgrading school facilities The school should also consider upgrading the learning facilities and buildings to ensure that students can have places to hide in case of an attack (Heath & Sheen, 2005). In addition, the school should establish a comprehensive security surveillance system that can monitor movement of people in all corners of the institution. This can be of greater importance since any suspicious individual will be identified on time and the appropriate action taken without delays. Weapon possession control The school management should introduce policies that forbid students from possessing gun or any other weapon while in the school compound. Presence of guns in school will result in unsecure learning environment and probably poor performance. The school administration should establish effective such restriction will bar students from harming others when angered. Possession of arms in schools and other places with large population should be controlled to minimize criminal activities. Training on security matters The new technology has opened avenues for more crises in schools. For instance, some programs and scripts available on the internet display information and visual activities which build bad character on school children. For instance, some action movies incite students to engage in criminal activities in the quest to practice what they view on the television and other media. Sandy Hook Elementary School should conduct comprehensive training of its security team and the staff members on the emerging trends concerning insecurity in schools. Consequently, the students should be trained to be prepared always and how to handle crisis especially those instigated by fellow student. Personal Experience Numerous researches confirm that bullying at schools in the recent past. Several researches have show that senior students harass the juniors in the halls of residences and in the dining halls. My high school life was full of torment and trouble essentially in the junior classes. The senior students never wanted to see the juniors access any services before they were fully satisfied. For instance, the juniors used to have meals being the last after the seniors were through and sometimes the food could not reach the juniors. Surviving in the institution was very challenging, for instance, I had to wash clothes for my seniors in order to get meals and assess school facilities such the swimming pool. The school crisis management system was not effective in protecting the rights of vulnerable students. The students’ affairs department had not established solid mechanisms of handling bullying cases. The plan was defective and some students who could not bear the inhumane treatment were forced to transfer to other institution or abandon studies completely. Privacy was not taken care of at the crisis management department and therefore junior students feared to report any abuse since the offenders would eventually identify who reported them. In essence, one had to bear with the situation because reporting to the relevant authorities would only make the already bad situation worse. Conclusion Students and staff members in schools experiences crises of varied magnitude. Some crisis results in enormous loss of live while others lead to desperation and hard school life. It is significant to develop effective crisis plan to ensure to shield students and staff members from adverse effects of school crisis like those experienced in Sandy Hook Elementary School. In essence, schools must develop substantial crisis management strategies to enhance safety and serene learning environment. References: Bagin, D., Gallagher, D.R., & Moore, E.H. (2012). School and Community Relations. SAGE. Pearson Education, Haynes, W. O., Moran, M. J., & Pindzola, R. H. (2006). Communication disorders in the classroom: An introduction for professionals in school settings. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Heath, M. A., & Sheen, D. (2005). School-based crisis intervention: Preparing all personnel to assist. New York: Guilford Press. Philpott, D., & Serluco, P. (2010). Public school emergency preparedness and crisis management plan. Lanham, Md: Government Institutes. Reid, J. L. (2000). Crisis management: Planning and media relations for the design and construction industry. New York: Wiley. Read More