Episode 65
The Hardest Conversation About Schools We Need to Have School Safety, Technology, and Tough Decisions
Brief description of the episode
How do you protect a school from threats you can’t predict? Philip Selton, CEO of Lockdown Experts, unpacks the realities behind school safety technology – what works, what doesn’t, and what most people get wrong. From the fire alarm systems we take for granted to the rising debate around metal detectors, reinforced doors, and AI surveillance, this conversation dives deep into the practical, the ethical, and the personal decisions behind keeping schools safe.
Key Takeaways:
- A clear, well-developed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that outlines exactly what to do in an active shooter situation.
- Coordination between the school system and local police to ensure the SOP is realistic and actionable.
- Thorough training for all staff, students, and administrators on the SOP and how to respond in a crisis.
- A recognition that simply locking doors is not enough. Evacuation should be part of the response plan if it’s safe.
- Any technology purchased must be integrated into the SOP, reinforced through training, and understood by first responders to actually save lives.
- There’s concern about potential liability if a chosen system fails during an actual event.
- Budget constraints often limit what technology can realistically be implemented.
- Leaders have to manage parent and community expectations, ensuring stakeholders trust that the right steps are being taken.
- In large districts, deploying tech unevenly can create pressure to scale quickly, which may not be financially feasible.
- With so many options, administrators find it difficult to determine which technologies would realistically make a difference.
- Consult experts in school safety – whether it’s a law enforcement professional, a consultant, or someone with hands-on experience in the field.
- Administrators must navigate between genuine guidance and sales pressure when choosing a vendor.
- Analyze previous school shootings to evaluate whether a particular technology would have made a difference.
- Be skeptical of technologies that sound groundbreaking but wouldn’t have helped in any past incidents.
- Use history as a filter to assess the practicality and value of a safety solution before implementing it.
- AI can help identify unusual movement patterns, such as large groups suddenly running, to detect potential emergencies in real time.
- Implementing access control tech that alerts staff when doors are opened unexpectedly can lead to quicker responses.
- Tools like facial recognition and cameras can enhance situational awareness during critical moments.
- Privacy remains a concern, and implementing these technologies requires balancing safety needs with respecting student privacy.
- Even the best technology needs to be part of a broader strategy grounded in human judgment and ethical practices.
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