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Law limits "active-shooter" drills

Whalen: Real-life drills may be traumatic for pupils

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a bill that limits how schools conduct “active-shooter” drills involving life-like simulations.

House Bill 1941, signed into law last week, requires any drills to be “trauma-informed and age and developmentally appropriate ” for students.

In addition, the measure requires school employees to notify all students, teachers and staff before conducting any shooting-safety lockdown drills.

“Active-shooter drills are associated with increases in depression, anxiety and fears about death among children as young as 5 years old, to high schoolers, their par...

 

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