What’s The Difference Between Soft and Hard Lockdowns in Idaho Schools?
This morning was a scary time for many parents and students in Twin Falls. An active shooter was reported at Canyon Ridge High School and for a long time there wasn’t much information, just speculation, rumors, and fear.
I can only imagine how scary it was for the kids and staff at Canyon Ridge High School not knowing if a loud sound was a door closing or a gunshot while the school was in lockdown. In surrounding schools, they knew something was going on, but they had even less information to go on. Then there were the parents and members of the community flooding social media with questions and rumors.
One rumor that started early, and thankfully proved to be incorrect, was that 3 students had been shot. How and where that misinformation came from is unknown, but it was definitely unnecessary. We were careful in our story to not spread any unconfirmed details or rumors.
What did happen was that many schools were placed on lockdown and that brought up the question of what a soft lockdown is versus a hard lockdown.
What does a Soft and Hard Lockdown Mean at a School
I have kids at various schools in Twin Falls where they were placed on soft lockdown as a safety precaution. There are similarities between a hard and a soft lockdown, and the school safety website for Idaho explains what they are plus the meaning of a hall check, evacuation, and a reverse evacuation.
During a hard lockdown, the threat is on the campus of the school being locked down. Students and faculty must remain locked in their classrooms. No one is allowed in or out of the building.
With a soft lockdown, the threat is at a different location. Faculty and staff are usually allowed to move between classrooms and continue teaching as normal. People are also, usually, not allowed to leave the building during a soft lockdown.
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