Lockdown or active shooter drill? The distinction matters for children’s safety and well-being

Most states have laws that mandate lockdowns, but the exercises differ greatly in practice. Catherine McQueen/Moment via Getty Images

School shooting preparedness drills have been a routine though uncomfortable part of the back-to-school experience. Since the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, various kinds of preparedness drills have been mandatory in most schools.

As schools schedule and conduct these preparedness exercises, parents are likely to hear grim terms like “active shooter drill” and “lockdown drill.”