Congress Approves $1 Million Study to Look at Mental Health Impacts of School Shooting Drills

U.S. Reps. Ed Perlmutter and Stephanie Murphy spearheaded an effort to fund a study on the potential mental health effects of active shooter drills in K-12 schools

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • July 21, 2020

U.S. Reps. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) and Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) spearheaded an effort to fund a study on the potential mental health effects of active shooter drills in K-12 schools. The House Appropriations Committee approved $1 million for the study in an effort to identify the best practices to minimize negative impacts.

“The Parkland shooting in Florida tragically reminded us of the importance of student and staff preparedness,” Murphy said in a statement. “As states put in place plans to ensure students can safely return to the classroom once this pandemic subsides, we must also give school administrators the tools they need to most effectively conduct active shooter drills. This expert study will help us protect students from the physical threat of school shootings without causing lasting psychological trauma in the process.”

The congressional funding will allow the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine to examine “the possible emotional and behavioral effects on students and staff of active shooter drills, lockdown drills, and other firearm violence prevention activities in K-12 schools.” The provision was approved by the House Appropriations Committee as part of the bill providing funding for the U.S. Department of Education.

About 95 percent of U.S. public schools conduct school safety drills annually, according to the National Center of Education Statistics.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. She can be reached at [email protected]

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