The high school went into lockdown on Jan. 29 at approximately 11:00 a.m. Unbeknownst to students at the time, the threat turned out to be an external phone call, according to Head of School Anthony Meyer. While no harm was caused, it is important to reflect on how the lockdown was handled, as situations in the future could end differently.

Meyer and others have pointed out how well the school followed protocol, emptying the hallways quickly and following procedure in classrooms. However, the Editorial Board found issues that must be addressed. Standards were not enforced across all classrooms and there were some systemic errors and faults.

According to faculty members, they received a half-day emergency situation training in the summer led by the Brookline Police Department. The teachers split up into groups and were assigned to an officer who then led them through different types of emergencies. They strategized and problem-solved to prepare for real-life situations.

However, despite this training, the protocol was not strictly enforced throughout the whole school. As we’ve discussed and compared experiences with each other and our peers, it has become obvious that classrooms looked vastly different from each other. Some classes stuck to protocol: locking their doors, switching off the lights, barricading the door and remaining as silent as possible. Others followed some combination of these measures, and some followed none.

In some rooms, without a teacher enforcing silence, students talked through the entire lockdown. In a different situation, this could have put everyone in those rooms – people talking or not – in an unsafe position. In some “fishbowl classrooms” (rooms with walls of windows facing hallways), students were not instructed to go into closets, per lockdown protocol. Instead, they remained in plain sight. This also poses a clear safety concern. While these inconsistencies ended up proving harmless, they are dangerous responses that, if repeated in the future, could jeopardize safety.

Furthermore, some individuals who weren’t in their classrooms at the time of the announcement were put in unnecessarily unsafe positions. The loudspeaker, through which emergencies are announced, does not reach the bathrooms, and thus, students in the bathrooms did not hear or know that we were being put into lockdown. Not having speakers in the bathrooms is not a one time mistake, but rather, a choice that the school has made. In a situation different from this one, not being able to hear the loudspeaker could have seriously threatened their safety.

Since this incident occurred during midterms, students and proctors were in different classrooms than they normally are. As some teachers went to lock the door, they realized it wasn’t possible with their given key. Only certain keys can lock certain doors; for instance, only math teachers can lock doors in the math classrooms. This posed a problem for many teachers as they weren’t able to lock doors, resulting in doors being closed but unlocked.

As the Board reflected on these issues, we have a few suggestions for the future.

For students, it’s important to acknowledge that in a lockdown, the dynamic changes; you should certainly listen to instructions from your teacher, but if they are choosing not to barricade the door, shut the curtains or quiet the class, speak up. Advocate for your safety. There is also a clear solution for the loudspeakers in the bathroom: all bathrooms should have speakers, so that all students, regardless of where they are in the buildings, receive this crucial information. Moreover, teachers should be given master keys that have access to any room.

Fortunately, the lockdown ended without any actual harm. While school is a place where students should feel safe, school shootings across the country have left us scared. The Board also writes in frustration at having to think about these types of emergencies in the first place. In order to prioritize the safety of the high school, we must learn from this lockdown and be prepared for any situation.