Abrell: Can't Explain 'Dark Impulse' Behind School Shootings

Once again, this week we suffered anger, frustration and heartbreak as a community and as a nation over yet-another school shooting. This time, 17 young people lost their lives to a tragic and heartbreaking assault at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

Unfortunately, I can no more explain this particular shooting than I can any of the dozens that have happened in recent years. How can anyone explain the dark impulse to hurt and kill innocent children?

All I can do is assure our District 202 community that we share your concerns and will continue to make the safety of our students and staff our absolute top priority.

We have taken many steps in recent years to improve security in and around our schools – for example, locking all doors during the school day, requiring everyone to buzz in, and regularly training and practicing appropriate responses with our students and staff.

Perhaps most important, we have worked for almost two decades to build a very strong relationship with our law enforcement partners. We rely heavily – on an almost-daily basis -- on their expertise, guidance, insight, feedback and assistance.

Most recently, we started implementing the newest “best practice” response system, called “ALICE.” Our community will soon hear more about this as we begin training staff and students.

“ALICE” is a new approach to dealing with intruders. Essentially, teachers and staff members have the ability to respond in the most logical and efficient way to each situation, rather than being locked down to a single plan or protocol.

We also always have teams of qualified, compassionate adults ready and able to support and counsel our students and staff in response to any crisis that may impact our schools. Grief comes in many ways, at different times and under many circumstances. We are prepared to help.

We know that some people would have us build entry barriers, hire private security or install metal detectors.

We certainly understand that line of thought, however, at this time, District 202 is not moving in that direction. We believe it is important for our students’ and staff’s emotional well-being that our schools feel like schools and not fortresses. Nor do such steps actually do much to improve safety.

That being said we will continue to do everything that is reasonable and feasible to provide a safe, secure learning and working environment for everyone in our 32 schools and facilities.

Finally, please never hesitate to contact your principal if you have any concerns about your child's safety or emotional condition.

We must always stand and work together if we are to truly prepare our students – our children – for the future.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lane Abrell

Superintendent of Schools

Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202