VANCOUVER, B.C., Canada — The Board of Education here has issued a report voicing the group’s opposition to the policy of locking exterior doors while classes are in progress.
The board cited that members of law enforcement and first responders would not be able to access schools in the event of an emergency as its reason for not supporting locking doors, the Vancouver Sun reports. Additionally, board members stated that restricting entry and exit to all doors except the front entrance could limit students and staff’s ability to escape an outside threat.
The report found that the majority of elementary schools keep doors locked while classes are in session, while the practice varies at secondary schools. Board members recommended schools to keep classroom doors in a locked position, so that in the event of an emergency, they can be closed and secured quickly.
Additionally, the report encouraged schools to review procedures for contacting emergency services and urged the district to consider implementing a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communications system.
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