Should Teachers Open Classroom Doors for Students During a Lockdown?

When an intruder emergency occurs at a school, should teachers check the hallway for students before locking their classroom doors? And what should students do if they are caught outside a classroom when a lockdown begins?

Those questions prompted a recent discussion among members of the National Council of School Safety Directors (NCSSD), who shared their approaches to classroom security, staff decision-making, and emergency response training.

Should Teachers Check Hallways Before Locking Down?

The Tennessee-based NCSSD member who initiated the discussion said he encourages teachers to assess the circumstances rather than requiring everyone to follow the same response. He said some teachers are comfortable quickly checking the hallway for students before securing their classroom. Others have voiced concerns that opening the door could expose students already inside to danger.

The member said he leaves that initial decision to individual teachers. However, once a classroom door is closed and locked, his expectation is that it remains secured, even if a student is outside.

Another NCSSD member described a similar approach, emphasizing that teachers must consider their location, surroundings, available information and level of risk when deciding whether to bring students inside. That member also instructs staff not to reopen classroom doors once they have been secured.

A third member agreed that hallway sweeps should depend on the circumstances.

"I always tell my folks that I can't tell you how to respond if it's Tuesday and sunny or Wednesday and windy," the member wrote. "You'll need to make those decisions on the spot based on the information you have available to you at the time."

The member added that teachers should not be expected to check hallways if they know an intruder is immediately outside their classroom.

What Happens to Students Caught Outside Classrooms?

The discussion also addressed how schools prepare students who may be in hallways, restrooms, or other unsecured areas when an emergency begins.

The member who initiated the discussion questioned whether students would know how to respond if they were unable to enter a classroom, particularly if they were unsure whether an alarm indicated a drill or an actual emergency.

One member said students should be taught to assess whether they can safely evacuate or need to find another location where they can secure themselves. Another emphasized providing age-appropriate guidance about the options available to students who cannot reach a classroom, including discussing possible scenarios with students and allowing them to ask questions.

Training Teachers to Make Decisions as Conditions Change

Several participants said teachers need opportunities to practice making decisions rather than simply memorizing emergency response procedures.

One NCSSD member described incorporating five- to 10-minute scenario-based exercises into staff training to help teachers consider how their response might change as an emergency develops.

During an exercise, teachers are initially presented with a hypothetical lockdown without indications of gunfire or other immediate danger outside their classroom. They discuss whether they would check the hallway for students, bring students inside, or immediately secure the room.

The scenario then changes. Teachers are told they hear loud popping noises or yelling outside their classroom and are asked whether that information would affect their response.

"I have found this approach allows a quick way of facilitating discussion and getting our faculty to think about evaluating the details of a particular situation and understanding how to tailor their response appropriately," the member wrote.

The member said he has seen positive results from the exercises, although the approach hasn't been entirely successful.

The member also emphasized the importance of administrative support. At that school, leadership supports staff who make reasonable decisions based on the circumstances, provided they are not recklessly disregarding established guidelines.

Why Schools Announce Lockdown Drills

The conversation also turned to whether emergency drills should be announced and how schools can prevent confusion between exercises and actual threats.

One member said lockdown drills are always identified as drills when they begin, even if staff previously received an email announcing the scheduled exercise. The member explained that substitute teachers, maintenance personnel, and visitors may not have received advance notice.

"We have instructed staff that if it is not announced as a drill, assume real and act accordingly," the member wrote.

The member also described previous situations in which unannounced drills prompted actual law enforcement responses, including officers approaching a school with firearms drawn.

Another participant said their school had moved to announcing all drills and had not observed a reduction in how seriously staff approached the exercises. The member also referenced feedback from schools that had experienced actual emergencies in which uncertainty about whether an incident was a drill delayed responses.

The Tennessee-based member who initiated the discussion clarified that his school also announces lockdown drills, but its fire drills are not announced in advance.

"The only drill I don't announce, which is where the main issue is coming from, is fire drills," he explained.

He said some teachers previously prepared for fire drills by taking the steps required under the school's fire-alarm procedures before the alarm sounded, rather than responding when it activated. By conducting drills without advance notice, he aims to observe how staff respond to an unexpected alarm.

Once a fire drill begins, the member said staff are notified through Raptor Alert and walkie-talkie communication that the alarm is part of an exercise.

How Tennessee's Fire Alarm Law Affects School Procedures

The member said his school's fire alarm procedures reflect a Tennessee law enacted following the 2023 shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville.

During that attack, smoke from the shooter's weapon activated the school's fire alarm. Students and staff who were unaware of the shooting began evacuating, and a group of students encountered the shooter in a hallway.

In March 2024, Tennessee enacted Public Chapter 563, requiring public school districts, charter schools, private schools, and church-related schools to develop procedures for determining the cause of fire alarm activations, including the possibility of an active shooter.

The law requires schools to develop those procedures in consultation with local fire and law enforcement officials and comply with applicable fire and building codes. Schools must also train staff annually on the procedures, including substitute teachers, part-time personnel, and volunteers.

Tennessee's accompanying guidance states that schools may consider allowing designated personnel an appropriate amount of time to investigate the source of an alarm before evacuation.

The member said his school's procedures initially call for teachers to lock classroom doors, close shades, and move students to designated secure areas when a fire alarm activates. They remain there until an administrator or school safety director provides further instructions.

The law doesn't require schools to take those specific steps, leaving individual schools to determine how to respond to fire alarms.

Another NCSSD member questioned how that response aligns with fire evacuation requirements and whether the school's fire marshal had approved it.

Although members described different approaches to emergency procedures and training, several emphasized the importance of preparing staff to make decisions as circumstances change.

"They need to be able to think on their feet and make decisions they feel will best keep their students and themselves safe," a member wrote.

Join the Conversation

This article highlights just one of the discussions happening inside the NCSSD member community.

As an NCSSD member, you can participate in these conversations as they happen, ask questions, and connect directly with fellow school safety professionals to learn more about their experiences and approaches.

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