After Michigan school shooting, we asked Midlands districts how often they conduct drills

An unfortunate reality of attending American schools in the 21st century is the distant, but still present, threat of an active shooter.

Following the recent school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, that killed at least four students and several recent instances in the South Carolina Midlands of weapons being discovered on campuses, The State reached out to local school districts to see how often they run active shooter drills.

The New York Times reported that several students at Oxford High School in Michigan said the school frequently held lockdown drills. “The school made sure that we knew where to go, who to call and how to act,” a 15-year-old student said, according to the New York Times.

South Carolina law requires schools to conduct active shooter drills at least twice per year, and many schools do so within just days of reopening. Some districts, such as Lexington 3, Lexington 4 and Lexington-Richland 5 conduct more than two drills per year.

South Carolina schools have had several brushes with armed students recently.

Earlier this week, White Knoll High School in Lexington was placed on lockdown after police say a student had a gun on campus. During a one-week span in October, four students at Midlands schools were charged with bringing either guns or knives to school, The State reported previously.

Lexington 1

Lexington 1 requires schools to practice lockdown drills, meant to protect students from any outside threat, twice a year. One is required to be held within 10 days of the beginning of the school year and again in the spring, said district spokeswoman Kathryn McPhail. Schools also practice lock-in drills that allow activities to continue as normal within school buildings but lock all external doors.

The central Lexington school district cited the presence of school resource officers on campus, as well as advanced security systems that include cameras across campus, buzzer systems that require staff to allow guests to enter the building, exterior and classroom doors that remain locked, and radio systems that allow for school and district administrators to communicate in emergencies. Systems are also in place for students to report concerns, McPhail said, which led to the recovery of a gun and a knife at White Knoll High this week.

Lexington 2

The Cayce-West Columbia school district declined to discuss specific emergency measures, but spokeswoman Dawn Kujawa said schools practice regular safety drills “so everyone knows what steps to take in an emergency in any area of the school.”

School resource officers are present on campus, and each school coordinates its emergency response plans with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and with Cayce and West Columbia police. Schools are also equipped with cameras, keyless entry, reinforced glass in some areas and lockdown buttons, Kujawa said.

“When we learn of a threat, we investigate it IMMEDIATELY, bringing in law enforcement as needed,” Kujawa said in an email. “We then make an action plan, which may include additional law enforcement officers on campus, until the threat is no longer valid.”

Lexington 3

Lexington 3 in Batesburg-Leesville conducts active shooter drills at the beginning of each school year, again in January and again in April, district spokeswoman Mackenzie Taylor said in an email. The drills are overseen by the school resource officer and school administration. Monthly, Lexington 3 conducts safety checks and meetings, Taylor said.

Lexington 4

Lexington 4 in Gaston-Swansea conducts four active shooter drills throughout the school year. The drills are managed by the school resource officer and the school administration, district spokeswoman Lisa Ingram said in an email.

Lexington-Richland 5

The Chapin-Irmo area district goes beyond the state requirement for drills to hold extra drills throughout the year, said district safety officer Ross Wise. In addition to active shooter training, a majority of staff receive “stop the bleed” training so that they know how to apply a tourniquet to stop blood loss until first responders can arrive on scene. Schools also include other security features such as cameras to deter violence.

The district’s three safety officers, all of them former law enforcement or school resource officers, recently did reunification training. That’s when the district designates an off-campus site to evacuate students and staff and set up an area to reunite parents with their children.

“We’re fortunate this community is safety-oriented,” Wise said. “We’re conscious of trends we can take to promote a safer environment in our community and our schools.”

Richland 1

Richland 1 conducts active shooter drills “at least” once per semester, district spokeswoman Angela Crosland said in an email. The drills are managed by the district’s Security and Emergency Services Department, which works with local law enforcement, Crosland said. The district includes downtown Columbia, Lower Richland, and parts of St. Andrews.

Richland 2

Richland 2 in northeast Richland County conducts one active shooter drill per semester, with the first being within the fist 10 days of school, district spokeswoman Libby Roof said in an email. Drills, which include school employees, use a “nationally recognized training method,” that is done in a “developmentally appropriate manner for all participants,” Roof said.