Lockdown Drill
Unsettling Realities: A Lockdown Drill's Impact
Lyrics
I’m sitting in the classroom at school.
I find myself in a classroom at school.
It’s not the first time that I’m unsure:
This situation is not new to me; uncertainty prevails.
There are 20 quiet kindergarteners
There are 20 quiet kindergarteners.
Waiting for a sign that danger is over.
Children are waiting for a signal that the danger has passed.
Their eyes search around the room
The children look around the darkened room with concern.
The lights are all off and we’re surrounded by gloom.
The lights are off, and a sense of gloom surrounds us.
The teacher presses ear to door
The teacher listens at the door, violating safety protocols.
She knows that she’s not supposed to be so close.
She knows she shouldn't be so close to the door.
I signed up to help the kids with their art.
I volunteered to assist children with their art.
I signed up to help with finger-paints and tying up smocks.
My volunteering intentions were for creative activities and support.
I signed up to help my son feel supported.
I wanted to support my son emotionally.
I signed up to make sure someone tells each kid that they’re smart.
I aimed to ensure every child is acknowledged for their intelligence.
But I never would have signed up for this.
Unexpectedly, I find myself facing a situation I didn't anticipate.
It’s something that I could have always missed.
It's a scenario I could have avoided throughout my life.
They didn’t have this back when I was a kid.
Lockdown drills were not part of my childhood experience.
And this feels like the wrong way to live.
The current state of living feels wrong.
I sat through a lockdown drill
I experienced a lockdown drill at an elementary school.
At the elementary school.
Specifically, it involved the kindergarten class.
I was with the kindergarten class
Sirens sounded during the drill.
When we heard those sirens blast.
I shared the experience with the students of room 120.
I sat through a lockdown drill
Although we assumed it was a drill, uncertainty lingered.
With the students of room one-two-oh.
We found ourselves in the midst of the lockdown drill.
We told ourselves it was just a drill,
We convinced ourselves it was only a practice, but doubts remained.
But in fact we really didn’t know.
True clarity about the situation was lacking.
We turned out the lights.
We turned off the lights for concealment.
Teacher turned the bolt into the doorframe.
The teacher secured the door with a bolt.
We whispered out each kid’s name
We quietly called out the names of each child.
And they huddled near the cubbies.
The children gathered close to the cubbies.
We pulled down the blinds,
We lowered the blinds for added protection.
And we locked shut the windows.
Windows were securely locked.
We took down the fishbowl
The fishbowl, a symbol of normalcy, was stowed away.
And we put it in the cupboard.
We took precautions to secure the environment.
I was surprised.
I expected more emotional distress, but the children were composed.
I expected much more sobbing.
The kids had previous experience with lockdown drills.
But the kids just sat their nodding,
Surprisingly, the children nodded in understanding.
They had done this before.
They had been through similar situations before.
Then the all-clear came.
The all-clear signal was eventually given.
It was apparent to me,
Reflecting on the aftermath, it became clear to me.
As we put the classroom back together,
While restoring the classroom, I realized the impact of political decisions on our lives.
That the terrorists in politics had already won.
The influence of political figures with a terror-like impact had already prevailed.
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