AUGUSTA - A bill from Rep. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, would require the development of best practices to guide Maine schools when carrying out school lockdown drills.
At a public hearing on Tuesday, Millett told members of the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee that drills should protect students both physically and emotionally.
"As the gun violence epidemic continues to plague our nation, it's important that school staff and students are prepared for threats, but it's also crucial that we care for their mental and emotional wellbeing during those preparations," said Millett. "My bill would create a stakeholder group to establish guidelines that protect students and staff from harm while educating them about school safety."
LD 477 directs the state Department of Education's Maine School Safety Center to convene a stakeholder group of law enforcement, teachers, counselors, school administrators and pediatric professionals. The group would be charged with establishing reasonable drill standards for Maine schools and developing a strategy to ensure school staff are trained on their district's emergency plans before Jan. 1, 2025.
The bill requires an evaluation of the effectiveness and traumatic impact of lockdown drills. It also directs the Department of Education to allow parents to opt their children out of lockdown drills.
"Maine students should be safe at school. They should also feel safe at school. We must take steps to ensure that active shooter drills make our children feel more secure, not more traumatized," said Millett, who is a longtime member of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee.
Research shows that lockdown drills can increase anxiety, fear and post-traumatic stress symptoms in children. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns of the "unintended negative psychological and emotional harm" of active shooter drills that deceive participants into believing there is an actual threat.
LD 477 would require the Maine School Safety Center to report back to the Legislature with its findings by Jan. 1, 2024. The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee would have the authority to draft new legislation based on the report.
The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming days, at which time committee members will have the opportunity to debate and offer amendments before voting on a recommendation to the full Legislature.
Millett is serving her second term in the Maine House and previously served eight years in the Maine Senate. In addition to serving on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, she is a member of the budget-writing Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee. She is also the founder and co-chair of the Legislatures Children's Caucus.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Millett], c. 305-965-2744