Is Your School Really Safe? The Truth About Security and Preparedness

By John Huber

Every school year, we see the same headlines: Are Our Schools Safe? It’s the right question—but only the beginning. Safety isn’t just about plans or technology; it starts with basics we often overlook.

Try this: when school starts, go to the front door of your child’s school, hit the buzzer and tell them you’re there for a meeting or to pick up a child. Chances are they will welcome you and open the door. Schools are built on trust, but in the wrong moment, that trust becomes a vulnerability.

Real Risk, Real Consequences

In Wichita Area, Kansas, at Sedgwick High School two men unfamiliar with the district were eventually let into a side entrance of the high school, by a student. They were later escorted out and identified, triggering an emergency staff review of entry procedures.

This incident might seem small, but it highlights how dangerous even rare lapses can be. Also, this is just one of an infinite number of such incidents that a simple Goodle search will find.

Why Locked Doors Matter

Think of locked doors as your first line of defense. In historical tragedies such as Uvalde, failure at this first barrier cost lives. In the DOJ’s review of Robb Elementary, investigators found that multiple doors simply weren’t locked—despite having policies requiring it

Locked doors aren’t just details—they’re the difference between containment and catastrophe.

It’s About Culture, Not Machinery

Sometimes hardware fails. In New York City, $92 million were spent on cameras and buzzers—but a report found that even with those systems in place, staff frequently left front doors unlocked for convenience.

This isn’t just about infrastructure, it’s about consistent habits and accountability.

Action Steps for Real Safety

• Embed discipline: Always lock classrooms and main entrances, every single time.
• Empower your school staff: Create a “no exceptions” expectation—no propping doors for convenience.
• Train students too: Talk to them about protocols—help them see how serious school safety can be.
• Audit regularly: Test your systems. If outsiders can enter unchecked, it’s not safe.

Real Safety Doesn’t Start with “What If”

The headline question—“Is your school safe?”—can’t be answered with a pat reassurance. Safety is ongoing vigilance, not a box to check. It’s everyday commitment to the small actions that protect us.

So, ask yourself: is safety a formality or a habit?