OKLAHOMA, USA — "Teacher calls over the intercom says this is not a drill everyone go in the corner, and be really quiet and still. What do you do?"
Many American families are gearing up for back-to-school, while students should be worried about school supplies, many parents are having to talk to their students about how to protect themselves from tragedy.
Cassie Walton in Oklahoma went viral after running school shooting drills with her five-year-old son. In the TikTok video, she sets the scene for her son, as this has become the reality for many students across the United States.
The video has sparked conversation on school safety and preparing your children for back-to-school. The mother's TikTok (@thewaltonfamily1) has over 200K followers, and the video has gained popularity with over 1 million views.
According to a June federal report released by the Institute of Education Sciences on school crime and safety, there were more school shooting deaths during the 2020–21 school year than in any previous year. Just this year alone there have been 27 school shootings that ended in casualties.
There has also been a total of 300 mass shootings this year in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive. As the fear of what could happen and has happened rocks the nation, many parents and states are taking the necessary precautions to avoid another tragedy.
According to the Institute of Education Sciences, public schools across the nation have increased security by 97 percent. This is just the beginning.
In response to the active number of mass shootings, The House in June passed a bill banning the sale of automatic rifles. Which will be making its way to Senate.
Here in Central Texas, the first week of school has already started. Killeen ISD added new security features including metal detectors. Belton ISD also added school safety measures after receiving a $6 million dollar safety and security bond. The district has also come up with a BISD Safety task force of more than 96 members including parents, students and staff.
6 News recently also covered Axtell ISD, which started using a School Safety Officer 'Guardian' Certification program and School Safety Training for its teachers.
Parents are also looking for other safety precautions. Bulletproof backpacks are also increasing in searches. Joe Curran the founder of Bullet Blocker told CNN that sales have skyrocketed by 200 percent since the tragedy in Uvalde.
The increased conversation on gun safety and protection in schools is leaving many parents asking their students the same question:
"What will you do?"
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