"Our Children Deserve Better": An Alabama School Unveiled Active Shooter Safety Rooms In Their Classrooms, And People Say It's Past Time For Gun Reform
Earlier this week, a school in Alabama unveiled their latest classroom addition: the Rapid-Deploy Safe Room System.
Here is the safe room in action! While it’s simple to put in place, both teachers with one in their classroom said they keep them set up and students use them as sensory or hang out rooms https://t.co/QGDh2gFxj1
Set nearly flat against the corner walls of a classroom, the system is a fold-out room meant to expand in 10 seconds, WBRC reported. Then, once open, the room is designed to serve as a shield for students against active shooters and emergency weather.
When not in use, the system's walls can be used as a whiteboard for regular, non-threatening classroom activities.
Also of note, the system (which is basically a classroom panic room) was created by KT Security Solutions — a company that was working on ballistic shelters for the military this time last year, but switched to providing safety rooms for schools after the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
(And if that doesn't say something about the level of seriousness America's gun problem has reached, then I don't know what does.)
Once shared online, video of the Rapid-Deploy Safe Room System in action quickly went viral on Twitter, reaching an audience of over 27.4 million viewers who hotly debated its practicality, use, symbolism, and whether we're doing what's best for children in the US. Here's what they had to say:
1.Starting off, commenters acknowledged that firearms being the leading cause of death for children ages 1–19 in the US is a "nightmare," to say the least:
@GillianBNews What an absolute nightmare.
2.And many suggested banning guns outright may be a solution that stops the problem at its source:
@GillianBNews Just. Ban. The. Fucking. Guns.
3.Especially when you consider the amount of damage that can be done before the system has a chance to be deployed:
@GillianBNews What moves faster, opening the room or a bullet?
4.Not everyone hated the idea of a safe room, though. Those who have lost hope in the government passing regulation laws pointed out that this may be the best move in our current, crappy situation:
@HolaCarmitooo We’re allowed to be outraged by the lack of gun control, but unfortunately since the gov won’t do what they should, this is a necessity. As much as I wish it wasn’t needed, I hope they make these in every school. Because that’s much more likely than what we keep asking for
5.Others rolled their eyes at the hypocrisy they find in Alabama's recent school-related causes, such as banning books (en masse) that feature LGBT+ themes or issues of race, protest, and activism. "The idea seems to be that kids can survive mass school shootings but not reading The Bluest Eye," one user commented.
@GillianBNews Alabama is deploying safe rooms in schools while banning books in schools. The idea seems to be that kids can survive mass school shootings but not reading The Bluest Eye or a Brave New World.
6.And students from underfunded schools in Alabama questioned how these same institutions may be expected to pay for safe room systems while they can hardly afford "to fix moldy ceilings"...
no legislation, but here’s a bulletproof whiteboard. mind you my hs, also in Alabama didn’t “have the funds” to fix moldy ceilings https://t.co/fvO7lHzdK6
7....or putting "HVACS in every classroom to protect us from COVID-19."
Soooooo we can make safe rooms for kids bc we’ve created a gun worship culture … but HVACs in every classroom to protect us from COVID-19 was out of the question?(If these start going up in every class/school but no HVACs I’m going to lose my mind) https://t.co/9dfbULfCWV
8.Speaking of underfunded schools, some people doubt systems like this will be within their grasp and questioned whether it will only be the "rich kids" who can afford access to safety:
@GillianBNews These will be available to all schools free including the ones in poor districts? You know the ones without AC, clean drinking water & where the books are so outdated the last president is Clinton? No?So glad rich kids will be safe🙄
9.Overall, many argued for regulatory gun measures like requiring background checks, increasing the age minimum to buy a gun, and implementing "red flag" laws that would essentially help to remove guns from the hands of people who pose a threat to themselves or others:
@HolaCarmitooo @ThomasMightSnap Or accessible mental healthcare but who's counting
10.In conclusion...
It’s crazy that we’re literally building bulletproof classrooms instead of just changing gun regulations. https://t.co/H04csndmNA
11....because honestly, "Our children should be safe at school without having to cram into a panic room."
Our children should be safe at school without having to cram into a panic room. They deserve better. https://t.co/C6YokeQ2XB
