By Ayla Ozturk
On Tuesday, December 13, 2022, the VUSD Board of Education added one minimum day to each school’s calendar to allow VUSD staff to participate in ALICE active shooter training.
Content Warning: This article contains information relating to gun violence.
In response to gun violence at schools across the nation, Visalia Unified School District [VUSD] has provided staff with ALICE active shooter training.
ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. The website describes the meaning of the acronym:
Alert: Alert is your first notification of danger. Maintain good situational awareness to overcome normalcy bias and ensure the best response to a critical incident or violent intruder.
Lockdown: Barricade the room.
Inform: Communicate the violent intruder’s location and direction in real time. To do this, pass on real-time information using any means necessary. Examples are video surveillance, 911 calls, and PA announcements.
Counter: Not to be confused with fighting, this step involves creating noise, movement, distance, and distraction. Its intent is to reduce the shooter’s ability to shoot accurately.
Evacuate: Safe and strategic evacuation techniques get people out of harm’s way. Understand how your current environment impacts your ability to evacuate and discover the safest ways to do so.
“Although we hope we never experience a tragedy like those that have taken place on school sites across the nation, we want to make sure we are prepared,” VUSD Superintendent Kirk Shrum states in his letter to parents.
Elizabeth Forsythe teaches Advanced Placement [AP] English Language and Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum [ERWC].
“I’m actually excited about doing [the training],” Ms. Forsythe says. “Active shooters are an overall worry in my life, so to have training on it to deal with it, not only here at school but in everyday life is something that I feel like I want and kind of need.”
Dina Seoudi ’23 and Micah Stipech ’23 are seniors at Redwood. They were asked how they felt about staff going through ALICE training.
“It’s better for schools and teachers to know how to handle that situation,” Seoudi says. “But [at the same time], why do teachers have to deal with [those situations]?”
Stipech says, “[The training is] just like a another step in the clockwork of school. It doesn’t feel out of the ordinary.”
Ayla Ozturk
Ayla Ozturk, class of 2024, is a fourth-year journalism student passionate about leading the News section. She is dedicated to informing students and amplifying their voices through Government and Politics writing.
You can reach her at ayla.oz3769@vusd.us.
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