The College of the Canyons campuses held a synchronized Shelter in Place Drill to help prepare students and faculty for a possible active shooter on campus.
Held in May, the drill consisted of messages sent to students via texts and emails explaining that this is a drill to practice and learn from. Many of the students and faculty paused their lessons and took part in watching a video describing what to do in dangerous situations like an active shooter, with classes also verbally describing how they would barricade and protect themselves in the classrooms; however, other students disregarded the drill, dismissing it as a waste of time.
Some staff held tests and presentations during the drill despite prior knowledge of it. Students outside of the classroom also didn’t participate, but for a different reason.
Many of the students didn’t receive messages, texts or emails in a timely manner and when they did get them they were nearly ten minutes late when the drill was almost over. The other factor of miscommunication is that there are no outdoor intercom speakers to propel a message out to the entire school, not to just the classrooms.
