Should Schools Lock Their Doors

In the past a school would automatically go into lockdown if there was a perceived threat.

Should schools lock their doors.

However if a school has doors that have deadbolts or similar locks there are situations where a locked door can for example prevent egress in an emergency. Yes they can lock doors but the problem is that most of the public doors lock from the outside. A public door must be accessible at all times. A nationwide evaluation of the policy has now turned to evacuation as a better solution in some circumstances than a lockdown thomas said.

Public doors are designed based on the national fire protection association nfpa codes and standards set by the americans with disabilities act ada. You never know when a possible crime could take place inside your home i e theft or robbery which is why it is better to be always prepared. The vast majority of school doors can remain locked from the outside while still having a handle release on the inside mainly due to building or fire codes. If this lock function is used staff should carry keys to unlock the door from the outside in case of an unauthorized lockdown.

The short answer is yes you can lock your classroom doors as long as the following regulations are met. In the end there are much worse things your teen could do then lock their door. They never lock or unlock without a key and since the inside has no keyway key holders must lock the door from the hallway. First you comply with title 8 cal osha on emergency egress single action exits meaning you cannot be required to put a key in the lock to unlock the door to escape during a fire.

If you teach your kids to lock the door while they are inside their respective bedrooms you are also teaching them to protect themselves. Many schools whose doors have the above capability but do not have. Miami dade public schools began requiring teachers to lock classroom doors after the parkland shooting but main entrances remain unlocked. There s no other explanation that i can find for why school districts are locking their doors during school hours.

At houston public schools once headed by new city. While difficult to shoulder the feeling of being excluded from their life it is essential for your teen to develop some sort of individuality.