The Bad Guy (2024) Movie Script
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This is the way we sit and wait,
sit and wait, sit and wait.
This is the way we sit and wait.
Good job my friends.
Lets play the quiet game.
Quiet game.
What comes to mind
when you imagine a school?
Kids sitting at their desks?
Perhaps a teacher in front
struggling to keep
their attention.
Or a school bell
ringing through the hallways.
When I think of school
I think of chalk.
I still picture it in my hands
nervously trying to solve a
math problem on the blackboard.
Welcome to the world.
My own school days
are long gone
but for my daughter,
they have yet to begin.
By the time she
will go to school
I worry that she'll
be confronted
with more frightening things
than solving math problems
in front of the class.
Nineteen children
and two teachers were killed
at Robb Elementary School
in Uvalde, Texas.
City leaders in Uvalde
are calling for privacy
and compassion for the families
of the victims and survivors...
I remember watching the news
about the school
shooting in Uvalde.
My daughter was two months old
and sleeping in my lap
oblivious to what was happening
just a couple towns
away from us.
Since that day,
I keep wondering...
How can we keep her safe
in a world like this?
This morning, flags are flying
at half staff across Texas
marking one year since one
of the worst school shootings
in American history.
One year ago today,
an 18 year old gunman
broke into
an elementary school in Uvalde
killing nineteen children
and two teachers.
For many, the reminders
of the tragedy are everywhere.
With an uptick
in school shootings
and the fears
that come with them
a lot of Texas parents
are wondering
how best to protect their kids
while setting them up
for success in the future.
How can I help you?
Good afternoon.
I'm looking for a daycare
for my daughter.
I wanted to gather
some more information
if that's possible.
Yes, maam.
It might be an awkward question,
but do you have a safety plan
in case of
a school shooting happening?
Were getting introduced to all
this shooting stuff just now.
OK.
So, you know,
we do lockdowns.
We do those kind of drills.
But right now
with active shooter...
We are in the process of
figuring all that stuff out.
- Ok.
- Its just, we never thought
that wed have to be going
to training for this.
Yeah, Im asking because Im...
I just moved here from Belgium,
about four years ago.
And we never had
a school shooting in Belgium.
So for me, this is all new.
And I'm a bit worried about it.
You know, I was born and raised
here in Austin.
And this whole Uvalde thing,
I think that hit us home.
Being so close to Uvalde...
But yes, ma'am
we're hoping that
never happens to us.
And we do have locked doors
and all that good stuff.
Okay.
But, you know,
active shooter plan?
Not yet.
Olivia!
Joshua!
Junior!
Laura!
Emma!
Go sit down, please.
Go sit down, baby.
Working with children,
really makes a difference.
Sometimes you
have a rough day...
Anything to warm up...
I got you!
And then you come over here
and just a kiss and a hug
or a silly phrase....
In that moment you just laugh.
I am originally from Venezuela.
Over there, we deal with
another type of safeness.
You go out and you know
you cannot carry your necklace.
You know that
you need to pay attention
of your surroundings
and stuff like that
Its a whole other level.
But you dont have the fear
to send your kids to school.
I cant recall
going to school...
feeling scared.
Or my mom talking to me
If somebody comes
to school to shoot you
youve got nowhere to go.
So I didn't grow up with that.
The hardest part in my job
is caring for other kids
and having the responsibility of
providing a safe environment
for them.
It is hard.
I don't want to carry
the responsibility
of losing a childs life
on my hand.
I don't think
I could live with that, so...
I don't think nobody could,
you know?
That must be really hard.
So when Zara would go
to this daycare
what would the safety plan
look like here?
We have trained for lockdowns
and unsafe buildings
and stuff like that.
But an active shooter,
we havent.
So that's why we wanted
to get training.
And if you look, you know,
at last year...
Look at this, in 2022
not a single week passed
without at least
four mass shooting events.
It's crazy.
And we say mass shooting,
were talking about
four or more people
that have been shot.
So thats quite a few events.
You know, you can see,
646 mass shootings...
What is there,
365 days in a year?
So we're talking, what?
About two a day?
That's numbers
that we've never seen before.
But that's why this training
has become so important.
And just as we prepare for fires
and floods and tornadoes
and earthquakes.
Sadly weve got to start
thinking about this stuff, too.
So what we're going to
talk about today is really...
I want the teachers to be
the best they can be.
Teaching the kids
the proper way.
And you know,
shaping those young minds.
I don't want
them to be combat warriors.
That's not fair.
They didn't sign up for that.
But when I saw
the numbers and said
wow, less than half
of early childhood programs
aren't prepared
for an active shooter.
Weve got to do
something about that.
I don't want to minimize
the impact
that youre going to have
as the initial responder.
Because your actions
or inactions...
are really going to set
the stage on how this goes.
Weve got
a bunch of options here.
Weve got running,
weve got hiding
weve got fighting.
And I can't tell
you specifically
which options
are going to be best
because the situation you're in
might be very different.
You know, if you're
in the infant room
your options are very different
than somebody that's working
with a four or a five year old.
So sometimes hiding
might be the best choice
Sometimes running
might be the best choice.
Sometimes, you're going
to have no choice
but to defend yourself, right?
And we want to make sure
that we practice those options
so that we become
comfortable with them
and know what to do
in all sorts of
different settings.
So here they are:
run, hide and fight.
So let's look at the run option.
So weve got everybody out
in under 20 seconds
which is, you know,
simply amazing.
- What do you think Ron?
- Very, very fast.
Everybody did really,
really well.
- Good job ladies.
- Excellent, good job guys.
Yay, Dante!
In terms of our hiding...
That's another option
that we want to think about.
Our objectives are
to stay out of sight
to put some barricades up
to make it as hard as possible
to get to us...
and to keep the kids as calm
and as quiet as we possibly can.
Now, the last part
of the whole thing
is fighting if we have to.
We're really not just getting
into a fair fight here.
We're trying to
defend and survive.
But now we have to be thinking
okay, if I'm in there...
And I'm trapped in there,
I have no other way out.
What am I going to do?
Well, I'm going to grab this,
right?
You know, first thing
that I can find.
What if somebody comes in?
I can squirt them in the eyes.
I can maybe hit him
over the head with this.
I'm going to try to find
anything that I can
to defend myself.
I just see those teachers
standing there with like...
tools that they find,
like blocks and stuff.
And Im just wondering,
how on earth
are they going to
defend themselves
with somebody coming in
with like a machine gun?
Well, I think theres
a couple different things
that we can,
you know, think about.
A pair of scissors
is obviously not going to be
a very good weapon of choice
against a machine gun.
But Ive got to tell you,
if I'm pinned in a room
and that's
the only thing I have...
I'm going to make a go at it
because I don't want
it to be easy, to kill me
I'm going to make it
as difficult as possible
for that person.
Maybe I can slow
that person down.
Maybe I can buy some time
so that others
aren't killed or injured.
So that's kind of what
the mentality sadly has to be.
When Andy and I leave here
we hope that you'll
continue practicing this.
And not just do this like once
once a year or once in a while,
but do this on a regular basis
so you're already ready to go.
Because practice
is going to make us prepared.
And the more we practice
the better it's going to be
for us during any emergency.
I dont know how you,
you do a drill with babies?
I don't know how that works,
to be honest.
The drill that you guys saw...
are the kids involved
in these drills?
Well, what we saw
was like a training
for the teachers.
Um, and so I think
the teachers have to do that
with the kids a
few times a year,
but we didn't really see that.
And I also don't think that
the kids realize it yet
at that young age.
But I am worried about
when the kids get older...
So if we put Zara there,
when she gets older
when she starts to realize
what this is about
what its going to do to her.
These sounds are clues for you
to tune in
and get somewhere safe.
Excuse me.
We will be talking about:
Staying quiet!
When we hear
Lock down, locks, lights
out of sight.
We need to stay quiet
in our hiding place.
Look at this
picture of a quiet mouth.
What do you think it means
to have a quiet mouth?
Yes, Alice.
It means you don't talk.
Very good.
It even means you don't whisper.
What would you do...
You're not in the classroom.
You're not with another teacher.
But maybe you're on the way
to the bathroom.
You're all by yourself.
And...
You might hear an announcement
that says: run, hide, fight.
Or you might hear a noise
that sounds like a weapon.
Or maybe you see a bad guy.
You're all by yourself
in the hallway.
What would you do
in that situation?
If all the doors are closed
except the one
of the first graders
- you can go in there.
- That should be number one.
But let's say that there is
no way to go into another class
because the doors are shut
and they're locked.
Or, there's just
nobody else in here
and you dont know
what to do.
You can hide somewhere
on the playground, okay?
Schools are
a very safe place to be.
You're safe here.
Last summer
when I found out about
the school shooting
at Robb Elementary
in Uvalde, Texas
I was so devastated by the news
that another school shooting
had happened.
Every day that I walk
my children to school
I say, I love you,
and I watch them.
And just breathe
because thats all I can do,
and hope that...
everyone is doing their job
to protect them.
I'm doing my job
to try and raise awareness
change the conversation
support people who are
changing the conversation
because I don't have
all the answers.
Welcome to this service,
mourning those who have died
from gun violence.
This afternoon well be reading
the known names
of those who have died
in Harris County, during 2022
from gun violence.
Today we are remembering
Texas gun violence victims.
It's too many.
And thinking about our children
who are being put
in the line of fire.
Who are
being called to action
as if they were
in military service
without choice
and without protection.
You did 21 laps?
- Nice.
- And I forced my ankle.
Well, maybe that's
why your ankle hurts.
How was the rest
of your lunch?
I'm sorry I could only stay
for a few minutes.
All right.
You guys in Lego world now?
When I was researching
the project
I thought about
how our children are essentially
playing war games at school.
Whether they want to or not,
that this is their life.
And theyre having to do
these active shooter drills
and lockdowns.
and they're playing
war games.
What happens
during your drills?
Mommy doesn't know
what you guys do?
Well, for the lockdown drills...
The principal will say
on the announcement
It's a lockdown drill.
Lock your doors.
And we hide behind our shelves.
But we can't do anything else.
Sometimes
whenever we do the drills
no one ever tells us.
Our teachers dont tell us
if it's a real one
or just practice.
So I get scared sometimes
to see if it's real
or if it's just a drill.
And if we don't get up
and scoot our chairs quietly
and we're loud, we start over
and do it again
until we can make it good.
- You want to show me?
- Uh huh.
All right, say the drill.
Teachers, lock your doors.
Teachers, lock your doors.
This is a lockdown.
My daughter said that
it helps her to prepare.
And that makes me so sad...
to think that she has to prepare
for such an event.
- Hi, nice to meet you.
- Hi.
Thanks for being with us.
No problem.
I'm a professor of public health
in New Mexico State University.
My research has focused on
how schools are preparing.
And what would they do
in certain situations.
So most schools
in your neighborhood
my neighborhood,
have security cameras
backpack checks,
metal detectors,
locked doors, a lockdown drill
preparing students
for a mass shooting.
This is a drill.
I repeat, this is a drill.
We are in a
level three lockdown.
The problem is...
they have not been able
to stop a mass shooting.
Get into the closet.
Go in the closet.
Turn the light on,
until we get in there.
Let's go, get the chairs
up there. Let's go.
The rest of you,
get in the closet.
Let's go.
Get in the closet!
There is no documented evidence
that we could stop
a mass shooting
with this kind of an approach.
You're quiet.
Keep your hands to yourself.
And thats a typical
American school now.
It has become a war zone.
No one is asking
is this conducive
to learning? Education?
Why are we creating
this climate of fear?
A palace, a fortress.
No place in the world
would you see this
in a developed nation.
There are studies to show
that kids have felt vulnerable
and distressed
because of these exposures.
And that's why the whole idea
has become controversial.
We have fire drills
lockdown, tornado, earthquake.
Our last drill,
a lockdown drill
we did like, a full thing.
We ripped apart
the room, we grabbed tables
and we shoved it at the door
like it was real.
All the kids were scared and...
I was scared because the mic
did not say lockdown drill
or I didn't hear it.
So I thought it was
a real lockdown.
I was trying my best to hide
and it made me a little scared
and nervous because...
I didn't...
I didn't feel safe at school.
Nobody feels safe.
Nobody feels safe at school.
It's never really safe.
I dont know,
it's not really safe sometimes.
I think it'll probably happen
in our school
because people
sometimes go insane
and they might want to
like, take their anger out
on kids.
So they might want to come
to our school
and might take their anger out
on them, by killing us.
Maybe.
I dont... I really
don't like it because
there's a lot of
bad people in the world.
Yeah, we try not to think about
it too much or else we...
We kind of get like...
- Like, thinking about it.
- Nervous.
Kind of like Oh
a school shooting
is going to happen today.
That's not something that you
want to think about, right?
No...
I think that,
some of the teachers
should have, like um,
a pistol or something
hidden in the classroom
to protect the students.
Yeah, I think that too.
Because, um...
Because if the person
does have a gun
it would be nice to
have some protection.
Like 22 rifles, 22 long rifles.
At least a BB gun for our class.
For every single class.
It would cost a little bit,
but...
it would be worth it
for the school.
- For keeping the students safe.
- Yeah.
It will cost a little bit
but it would keep
the students safe.
I wonder if my daughter
will feel the same.
When I was a kid
this never crossed my mind.
But I guess things
were different back then.
And this is America.
The first year we moved here
we killed 38 rattlesnakes
just on this road.
And now we might see
three or four a year.
I was a high school teacher,
for 20 years.
You started hearing of
school shootings
and I would think
what I would do.
I didn't want to...
watch something happen,
or be a victim.
I wanted to be proactive.
I remember
coming home from school
and talking to Jeff all the time
about different scenarios.
What would I do
if this happened?
What would I do
if that happened?
I want to protect my kids.
So, we were able
to collaborate together
and come up with a good system
that would work for teachers.
The point of this is
to have trained guardians.
You can put signs on your school
that say, we have armed staff.
And that's a deterrent.
You're making the school
a hard target
so somebody is not going
to want to breach that.
And that's the number one goal
of the Guardian Program.
The number two goal would be
to actually use deadly force
in the event
that there's a shooter.
So an important component
about the school Guardians
is they're armed.
A lot of people think
we're just giving guns
to teachers.
And thats not it.
So part of our training includes
scenario training on the campus.
So we have
someone that's a bad guy.
We actually put
the Guardian staff
in a shooting situation
where they have to
defend themselves
or, take out the shooter.
And that's as close to realistic
as we can make it.
It's not just for teachers,
its for all school staff.
Administration, maintenance,
IT and stuff like that.
Most of those people
are what we call seekers.
So if there's actually
a threat on campus
they would seek the threat
to stop it.
And then we have what
we call classroom defenders
like what Terry would have been.
We don't ever tell a teacher
to leave their classroom.
They need to stay
with their kids.
So if the shooter happened
to come in that room
then they can defend
that classroom.
So there's really two types
of Guardians that we look at.
Based on history
a shooter
has some tie to the school.
So you have to prepare yourself
as much as possible
and not think of that student
as a student, but as a killer.
We tell them that
if you do have to use
deadly force to stop a shooter
you're never
going to be the same.
And the opposite is true.
What if I did not have
my handgun
and let's say
ten people were killed?
So that guilt is also
going to weigh on that person
for the rest of their lives.
- Here's your weapon.
- Thanks.
Here's your sword.
Okay, here we go.
I have to say that um...
The thought of this happening
in my daughter's school....
- Yeah, its scary.
- It scares me.
It is.
It's frightening.
Yeah.
Most of our people
that go through that
it's pretty emotional.
Because it's on
their home campus.
It's their turf.
Do you feel like this can be
traumatizing to teachers?
Just going through the training?
Um, I think the scenario
training can be to a point.
I don't think it gets
to the point where
it's going to cause
them problems.
But I think it's going to
help them face
the reality of, if this happens
this is what
it's going to be like.
And during that time,
we have had some people
that we've had to expel
from the program
or excuse from the program
expel is a horrible word
because at that point
they didn't have...
they're not going to be able
to defend against a threat.
They're probably going
to become a victim.
And it's just...
Not everybody can do this.
How did it feel for you
as a teacher carrying a gun?
I would say it did raise
my level of confidence
and security.
And I even told my students,
when I would introduce myself
and we would start
the school year
I would say,
I just want you to know
that no matter what happens
Ill protect you with my life.
I'm here for you in every
aspect, not just education.
And, um...
You know, it's just the care
that you have for your students.
It's natural.
By the way, they voted her
best teacher of the year.
after that.
A lot of people have
a tendency to do this.
They drop their firearm.
But when you're in combat,
this is combat
you're going to lean out.
Okay. Just a little bit.
You're trying not to expose
the rest of your body
because this is a target area
for the bad guy.
I think it's interesting
that you say, this is combat.
And I'm talking specifically
about schools.
- You refer to it as...
- Well, its combat training.
That's what it is.
A lot of this training,
it comes from my experience
other law enforcement
officers experience.
Military experience.
And it's, the way
it's been described
and the way we describe it,
because we want it to be bold
is combat training.
You are in combat
against someone
who's trying to kill you.
The only other place that
you see a situation like this
is on the battlefield,
in a war.
We're not prepared for combat.
Do we have tools
to combat
an event?
Yes.
But we're not laying siege
on anything.
We're not going to war.
We're going to protect.
So it's not combat...
its protection.
I don't know any educator
that wants to do this.
I don't want to have to have...
I don't want to
have to carry a gun.
I don't want to have to have
a bulletproof vest.
I dont want to have
to have any of that.
But the times in
which we live...
are dictating that.
And so like everything else,
we evolve.
And that's what we've done.
And as a result of that,
we now have AR-15s
as part of our weaponry
that we have here on school
stored in safes
throughout the campus.
It's just another tool.
And so its just
one other deterrent that we have
in case the bad guys
want to do bad things.
In small towns,
there are some limitations.
We have
no local police department.
Our local sheriff's
department...
The office is a minimum
of 15 minutes away.
Even if they're running with
their sirens on
it's going to take time.
So why do we give
someone with bad intentions
more time?
You know, we will have
in essence,
our own police force
our teachers,
that choose to be armed.
Because my teachers
will be closer to the action
than anyone else would be.
Did you ever have
any outside threats
like, did something ever happen?
When I first got here in 2014
I actually had a teacher
go into a diabetic state.
He grabbed a gun
and fired two shots.
And here I am.
I'm running after
somebody that has a gun
trying to figure out
what's going on.
And I'm like, you know
there's something
not quite right here.
I'm running unarmed,
towards a guy that is armed.
And I'm just like, okay.
And when we found him,
he was passed out
and we had EMT,
shortly afterwards and stuff.
And sure enough,
it was very low insulin.
And he was...
He wound up being okay
But, he didn't teach
at Fayetteville ISD
for much longer after that.
- Can I ask another question?
- Yeah.
Isnt it kind of funny, that...
The...
The thing that got you
into giving guns to teachers
was actually
a teacher with a gun?
You know what?
I really never thought of it
that way.
But yes, it is. It is a
very interesting concept.
And, you know, I do...
see kind of the, you know
kind of the backwards thinking
on that now.
So thank you
for pointing that out.
But yet at the same time,
you know...
You know, it's not fun.
It's not something
we want to do.
But I think
it's creating awareness
and I think it's creating,
giving kids an understanding of
hey, I'm going to be protected
because these people
care about me.
Guns are
the leading cause of death
among children
in the United States.
4000 children
will die of guns this year
in the United States.
Wow.
- That's a very sad number.
- That's a very sad number.
Its a billion dollar industry
to make schools safer.
But it's
a false sense of security.
The fact remains that
most of the children
who die of guns
in the United States
die away from the school.
They're dying in the community
on the streets,
in the household.
And so we have
our priorities misplaced.
We react in the wrong places,
and then we have
this blame game.
We blame Democrats,
Republicans, immigration,
criminals, mental illness,
too many guns.
Everything comes into play.
We have a great divide
as a nation
on what should we do?
I don't really see...
how guns could help us
feel more safe.
I've never...
until recently thought that
I needed to protect my house.
Only, like during the pandemic
did I start thinking
oh, maybe
I need a gun for protection.
You know, because of
the uncertainty
with everything
that was going on.
I always thought of
just having a shotgun.
Do you really think that if
somebody breaks into the house
that you're going to shoot him?
I would shoot him in the legs.
Like, if some crazy guy
breaks in here?
Right...
Trust me, I would not be
trying to shoot anybody.
No, but that's
what everybody says, right?
It's just for the bad guy.
- You know, its just..
- Im just trying to understand.
It's for your,
your mental, you know...
well-being.
It makes you feel better.
But, yeah.
It doesn't always work.
Obviously.
But, it makes you feel better.
Yeah. Okay.
That's why people do it.
Because they feel
that they're afraid.
That's what this country
is all about.
- Being afraid.
- Right.
You know, we're all afraid
so we feel like we have to...
So do you feel afraid then?
- In this country?
- Yeah.
Like there's a lot of violence
in this country.
It happens everywhere,
all the time, so...
I don't know, sometimes,
you know, I think about it.
It's a possibility.
It could happen to anyone.
And that's a problem.
You know.
That people think
that they need a gun?
That's a problem?
Yeah. Yeah.
And that there are
guns everywhere.
So it's like
well, everybody else has a gun,
so I better get a gun.
- When does it end?
- Yeah.
Sometimes I wonder
if we should raise Zara
here at all.
Yeah.
That's how I feel.
You're safe now.
You're in a safe space,
youre in a safe place now.
So let's begin on an inhale
with a count to four.
One, two, three, four...
And hold it there.
One, two, three, four
five, six, seven, and exhale.
Release
two, three, four
five, six, seven, eight.
So let's just ground.
Just notice your feet
rooted to the floor.
Notice the seat supporting you
where you're sitting.
Uvalde...
was a vicarious trauma
that everyone in Texas
experienced.
How do we as a collective heal
from traumatic experience,
right?
When something
traumatic happens
we withdraw.
But then the other response
is to kind of attack it
or create like a...
make it into the,
like the bad guy, like...
Were fighting against
this big thing, right?
We're going to assault it back
and were going to kill it.
We're going to make it go,
right?
And so I think that can create
more stress and fear.
One of the things that came
out of the extreme fear is
drills in all public schools.
In my son's former school,
during a lockdown drill
one of the teachers
in the building
had forgotten to close her door.
And as the principal went around
to check all of the doors
and that they were following
all of their protocols...
He came upon her open door
and he entered into the room
and he went,
Bang bang bang bang!
You would be dead because
you didn't close this door.
Don't ever make that
mistake again.
You know,
which is fear and threat.
My daughter...
she did participate in
shooter drills at school.
She seemed to handle it fine
but her peers
were really scared.
One of the things I think
she learned from a peer was
she was three years old,
and she would come home
and you know, talk to me
while I'm putting her to bed
about how
If a bad guy would try
to mess with me
I would just beat him up.
And I would get him.
So to hear that kind of talk
from a three year old...
I was just like,
why are you thinking about this?
It thinks Im a bad guy.
Oh, ok.
It sees me.
Theyre coming.
I do want the schools,
to be prepared
in the event of something
catastrophic happening.
And at the same time,
I don't want my child
to feel like
they're under threat.
I want them to feel safe.
Like all parents,
I want my kid to feel safe.
But what does that mean?
Hey pumpkin.
Want to see my stethoscope?
Oh, what is that?
Stories of gun violence
have become a part
of my everyday life
in the most unexpected places.
Can we listen to your heartbeat?
Oh, there we go.
In stores, at playgrounds
even at our
pediatrician's office.
Although if she starts daycare,
we'll see you sooner, right.
So we do expect
the average kid in daycare
to get about
seven to ten colds a year.
Oh wow.
So, not uncommon
to start seeing the runny noses.
So, we just kind of
like to prepare parents
to get ready for a
few more illnesses with daycare.
But a lot of times,
its really fun...
When I found out
you were doing this documentary
it just immediately was like,
this is something
so near and dear to myself
and my daughter.
As a pediatrician, we know
the value of preparedness.
We do.
We know the value of
a fire drill and
a tornado drill.
But with kids,
those kind of drills
they don't have a bad guy,
right?
And so the notion of
an active shooter drill
brings in an element of
there are unsafe people.
And, um...
that is
a whole different level of
of, um...
anxiety for kids.
Unfortunately,
there's some reality too.
On January 26, 2021
so just a little over
two years ago
we had a gunman
come into our office
at the end of our clinic day
with the sole intention
of killing a female physician
that day.
My daughter was dropped off
a few minutes
before the gunman came.
At the time she was twelve.
She already had some anxiety.
In fact, for years,
she actually has had nightmares
about active shooters.
Even though prior to that
she never experienced
any gun violence.
The idea for her
that the boogeyman is now human
and really did do harm,
became very real.
That day actually started off,
not pleasant.
I had a fight with my dad
and that ended up with
me feeling like wanting to die.
When my mom wanted
to take me inside to her office
a group of people
came outside, running.
There was a gunman
inside the office
that had hostage equipment.
And we didn't know
what his intentions were.
We just knew that
there was a guy in the office
that had a gun.
The doctor that was inside
that day
she was helping my mom
with finding like,
stuff for my therapy
that specific day.
I remember
my mom telling us that, like
she wasn't going to die.
And if anyone could go through
a hostage situation escape
that would be her.
Because she just had this, like
way of talking that
you could get along with her
even if you were like,
a murderer.
And that's when my mom
told us all to run
to the office next door.
I asked my mom like,
a couple times, like:
Are we going to die?
What did she answer?
She couldn't answer...
because she didn't have
an answer.
At the time that was
the worst possible thing...
was silence and not knowing
if I actually was or not.
And that helped me realize,
like, that's not what I want.
I don't want die,
I want to live.
I want to experience life
in a way that...
is amazing and fun and...
That's definitely not
how I wanted to die.
We had hours of being concerned
that our lives were in danger.
And to look at
your child at twelve
laying on the floor.
And then six hours of SWAT.
My daughter had to watch
a SWAT team
prepare over and over again,
how to handle the situation.
And unfortunately,
it did not end how we expected.
And she had to process,
just like myself...
when they came and told us that,
that our dear friend, her doctor
had been shot and, um...
I think we were
honestly in shock.
We had no idea that
that was going to happen.
Because, like...
Sirens.
Do they
make you feel uncomfortable?
Yeah.
What is going through your mind,
now that you're hearing them?
Just a lot of stuff.
When I hear sirens, I...
go straight to shootings.
And I'm not safe.
Her lockdown drills now...
We have it set up where
she does not participate
in active shooter drills
at school.
So her counselor at school
knows to pull her.
If I'm not working,
I will go pick her up
and we will go have coffee.
Just because it is...
Its too much for her.
Yeah, it changes you.
Are you supposed to have
a drill this week?
I'm not sure.
Honestly, nobody will know.
I'm usually the one that knows.
Yeah, I didnt see a note
from your counselor.
But they dont send out
an email to everybody?
No.
So youre the only one
that knows.
It's a surprise,
even for the teachers.
Do they announce
that it's a drill?
- Do they say: This is a drill?
- No, no.
This is a real emergency,
is what they say.
So what happens
if someone's in the hallway?
The doors are locked
so you can't go back in.
That's why I don't use
the restroom at school
or go in the hallway.
Because you're afraid
you're gonna get stuck
in a lockdown.
- Oh my...
- Yeah.
It's kind of weird
because as much training
as you get
the very person that may come up
and shoot up your school
is going to have gone
through the same training.
Oh yeah.
Kids out of America
they, like look at us
like we're crazy.
Because honestly
they don't have to go through,
what we go through.
And that is mind blowing,
because that's...
that's our lives now.
I would love to wake up
and go to school
and not have to worry
about dying.
Not have to worry about
getting a bulletproof backpack.
That sucks.
It sure does.
When do you have to do
your debate?
- Wednesday.
- Are you ready?
No...
I have to memorize the speech.
So do you remember
how youre starting your speech?
Run, hide, fight.
Run. Hide. Fight.
Three words you think
you would never need to know
especially at school.
You would think
school is a place to learn
but right now, it feels like
it could be a place to die.
America shouldn't be like this.
Schools shouldn't be like this.
We need to become
the kind of country that says
lives of children
are more valuable
than the right to weapons
that have killed them.
Time and time again.
Since Columbine.
Since Sandy Hook.
Since Red Lake.
Since West Nickel Mines.
Since Virginia Tech.
Since Oikos.
Since Umpqua.
Since Parkland. Since Santa Fe.
Since Uvalde.
Since Northern Illinois's.
Since UT. Since West Side.
Since Iowa.
Since Michigan State.
Since Nashville.
Since...
The fact that I can name
hundreds more makes me sick.
The question it comes down to
is kids or guns.
The Uvalde shooter
reportedly used
an AR-15 style
semi-automatic rifle
in the bloodbath
at Robb Elementary School
in Uvalde, Texas
which is three hours
away from us.
It took nearly 77 minutes
for nearly
400 law enforcement officers
to face an 18 year old
with an AR-15
who murdered 21 people
in just minutes.
Many were unidentifiable.
I grew up in Uvalde.
I was a bookworm.
I always loved reading.
I was much you know,
very much a rule follower.
One time
I was chewing gum in class
and I got sent
to lunch detention
because I was
chewing gum in class
and that was not allowed.
And that was the only time
I ever got in trouble.
Are you still a rule follower?
Because that's really funny
that you say
chewing gum is like the worst...
Yes, yes.
Good girl!
When I was in second grade
my teacher asked me
to go up to the board
and I was showing something
to the students.
I think we were doing math.
I liked it.
I like being up there
and, you know,
the class following me.
And since then
I always knew
that's what I wanted to do.
I wanted to be a teacher.
I started in 1993.
So 30 years I've been teaching.
I loved it.
And then it just turned...
you know, everything went bad.
On May 24th
we only had
three more days of school to go.
So we...
That day we were doing
some STEM projects
with newspaper.
We were going to have
a little race
and they were going to try out
their newspaper shoes
to see who made
the sturdiest shoes.
So we took some pictures.
I think we took
about four or five pictures.
And so then they lined up
and we're getting ready
to go outside.
And then my line leader
she's looking out the window
and she says
Miss...
Miss Demings class
came in...
screaming and
they ran in the room
and they slammed the door.
And I said
let me see what's,
what's going on.
So then, um...
she moves out of the way
and I open the door
and I...
poke my head
out into the hallway
to see, you know
if I could see what's going on.
And when I do that,
I hear somebody screaming
Get in your rooms,
get in your rooms!
So immediately I know
something is going on.
I slam the door shut.
I turn off the lights.
We had blackout curtains
so the room was very dark.
They all start running
to the corner
where we usually do
our lock down drill
and as soon as we're doing that
we start hearing
the shots in the hallway.
Some of the girls start crying
and I'm trying to
calm them down.
And I feel
something hit me...
in my stomach.
And so I put my hand
immediately on there and...
And then I see
that I have blood.
So I tell the kids
Oh, no...
Im shot.
Is anybody else hurt?
They say, No, no.
And then by that point,
I fall to the floor.
This bullet had to go through
three walls to get to me.
And...
and we keep hearing,
we keep hearing...
Shots. More and more shots.
And it just sounds like,
one right after the other
like that, just
fire, fire, fire.
And, um...
They're scared.
Theyre scared for me.
But I tell them
we need to stay down.
We need to stay quiet.
And, um...
I was praying, you know
I didn't want to die
in front of my kids.
I didn't want them
you know, to go through that.
And then, my little girls,
some of my little girls
that were next to me
were patting me
and they were telling me
We love you, Miss.
Youre going to be okay.
It's okay.
So they were
very, very brave.
So what do you feel about
teaching kids
to go hide behind the corner
to protect yourself
from a guy
with a weapon like that?
That doesn't make sense, right?
The kids knowing what to do and,
you know, trying to stay safe
helped in my,
in my classroom
but in the classrooms where
he was able to get in, you know
there was really nothing
they could do.
There was nowhere to hide,
you know.
If the same thing
would have been
in my classroom too,
if he had entered...
There really wasn't...
much, that we could have done.
So, um...
I really don't know that
the drills are
the solution either.
We need...
we need more.
In the beginning,
it was so hard.
In the hospital,
the first two weeks...
I couldn't tolerate any noises.
Any sudden sounds
would trigger me back.
Whenever I would
hear noises, I would...
I would start panicking
and I would start crying
uncontrollably.
I couldn't be around anybody.
I just had my sister.
I did everything.
You know,
I followed all the protocol
for the drills and everything.
I still ended up
getting injured.
He never came to my classroom,
but I still ended up...
So it's like you say,
how do you prepare for that?
Wear a bulletproof vest
every day, I guess, I mean...
- Bulletproof walls?
- Bulletproof everything.
Bulletproof our life. I mean...
Live in a bubble?
Live in a bubble?
Its crazy.
Because now even y'all here now,
are doing the drills, right?
It's supposed to be instant.
So, when they tell you:
do this
you automatically know
what to do.
Yeah, I just sit in my office.
Okay, how am I going to dig
my way out of here?
- You know, I start thinking...
- I know, thats scary.
That's me,
when I go somewhere...
Grab my gun.
Because I don't know
if she told you
I do carry a gun.
Do you really feel comfortable
stopping an active shooter?
If somebody is coming at me
you think
I'm not going to defend myself
If I know how to shoot back?
I wouldn't hesitate.
- I would not hesitate.
- Youre different than me.
I guess because you're
in a different setting.
You're in an office
and you're by yourself.
I'm with...
- You're with kids.
- 20 kids, you know.
You're with kids.
I would have to think, you know.
Well no, even then.
More so.
- To protect them?
- To protect them.
- Then Im not a gun person
- You're not a gun person.
You're afraid of guns.
You don't like,
You don't like them at all.
I've never been afraid of them.
We're just different that way.
Yeah.
I even practice
to make sure that
I shoot, you know...
to stop the person.
How do you how to,
where to stop them.
- Where do you have to shoot?
- Body mass.
- I dont even...
- Or artery.
But that's harder
to shoot up here.
That's why you,
full body mass.
But wouldn't you shoot
at their hand...
Their shooting hand?
No, because if you miss,
they're going to shoot you.
That's true. See?
So y'all study all that
when you take those classes?
- Yes.
- Oh, ok.
Now you know, sister.
We should feel safe
when we're around you.
I guess you can protect us.
Well, Im going to try, yeah.
That's true.
How many more guns
do people
in the United States need
to feel better, to feel safe?
There is no end to it.
Uvalde, Texas.
There were so many good guys
standing outside
and not confronting the bad guy.
So how long can we just fixate
on the bad guy.
I don't want to become
this person
that feels the need
to go get a gun
to protect myself.
Yeah.
I just don't want to be
like that.
That person.
And I dont...
I just don't want to worry
about her the whole time.
And I don't want her
to grow up like that, so...
You know.
I don't want her
to think about all this shit.
Its ridiculous.
Yeah, to live in fear
is just a horrible way to live.
I don't think people realize
the effects that it has on you
- and your well-being.
- No.
If youre...
afraid to send
your kid to school
You're afraid
to go to the grocery store.
So for me,
this is not a safe place
for a kid to grow up.
I don't want to
have that anymore.
It's not worth it.
- No, its not.
- It's not worth it.
I think after all of this, that
me and my husband
kind of came to the conclusion
that we should raise our kid
in Belgium and not here.
Not only because
there might be a school shooting
but also, there might be
a drill going wrong
there might be a teacher
that loses it
that is carrying a gun,
you know.
Yeah, I...
I don't fault you
for your thinking
and for your logic.
And I can only imagine
how kind of jarring, or shocking
coming here and seeing
this firsthand must be.
It really must be,
quite the experience.
It is, yeah.
It is an embarrassment when...
we all think we live
in the best country in the world
and we can't really solve
this problem.
And other countries
really don't have this problem.
Because I do think there are
steps that could be done
but we just have chosen not
to do it for whatever reason.
It saddens me to see
you say something like that.
And I get where
you're coming from.
I would absolutely leave.
It's not to say
there aren't good people here.
And it's not to say
that changes aren't happening.
They're just not happening
fast enough.
And why would you stay
if you have another option.
Do yall have
lockdown drills in Belgium?
No we dont.
We never had one.
- Ever?
- Ever.
We also never had
a school shooting.
Oh my gosh...
That's crazy.
So, and here's
the question I ask.
Okay, so yeah,
you have a problem with this.
What's your solution?
How should we protect kids?
How should we save kids lives?
The best way to do that
within our laws over here
is to use deadly force
with a firearm.
And that's just the way it is.
And it's always
going to be like that.
#####
This is the way we sit and wait,
sit and wait, sit and wait.
This is the way we sit and wait.
Good job my friends.
Lets play the quiet game.
Quiet game.
What comes to mind
when you imagine a school?
Kids sitting at their desks?
Perhaps a teacher in front
struggling to keep
their attention.
Or a school bell
ringing through the hallways.
When I think of school
I think of chalk.
I still picture it in my hands
nervously trying to solve a
math problem on the blackboard.
Welcome to the world.
My own school days
are long gone
but for my daughter,
they have yet to begin.
By the time she
will go to school
I worry that she'll
be confronted
with more frightening things
than solving math problems
in front of the class.
Nineteen children
and two teachers were killed
at Robb Elementary School
in Uvalde, Texas.
City leaders in Uvalde
are calling for privacy
and compassion for the families
of the victims and survivors...
I remember watching the news
about the school
shooting in Uvalde.
My daughter was two months old
and sleeping in my lap
oblivious to what was happening
just a couple towns
away from us.
Since that day,
I keep wondering...
How can we keep her safe
in a world like this?
This morning, flags are flying
at half staff across Texas
marking one year since one
of the worst school shootings
in American history.
One year ago today,
an 18 year old gunman
broke into
an elementary school in Uvalde
killing nineteen children
and two teachers.
For many, the reminders
of the tragedy are everywhere.
With an uptick
in school shootings
and the fears
that come with them
a lot of Texas parents
are wondering
how best to protect their kids
while setting them up
for success in the future.
How can I help you?
Good afternoon.
I'm looking for a daycare
for my daughter.
I wanted to gather
some more information
if that's possible.
Yes, maam.
It might be an awkward question,
but do you have a safety plan
in case of
a school shooting happening?
Were getting introduced to all
this shooting stuff just now.
OK.
So, you know,
we do lockdowns.
We do those kind of drills.
But right now
with active shooter...
We are in the process of
figuring all that stuff out.
- Ok.
- Its just, we never thought
that wed have to be going
to training for this.
Yeah, Im asking because Im...
I just moved here from Belgium,
about four years ago.
And we never had
a school shooting in Belgium.
So for me, this is all new.
And I'm a bit worried about it.
You know, I was born and raised
here in Austin.
And this whole Uvalde thing,
I think that hit us home.
Being so close to Uvalde...
But yes, ma'am
we're hoping that
never happens to us.
And we do have locked doors
and all that good stuff.
Okay.
But, you know,
active shooter plan?
Not yet.
Olivia!
Joshua!
Junior!
Laura!
Emma!
Go sit down, please.
Go sit down, baby.
Working with children,
really makes a difference.
Sometimes you
have a rough day...
Anything to warm up...
I got you!
And then you come over here
and just a kiss and a hug
or a silly phrase....
In that moment you just laugh.
I am originally from Venezuela.
Over there, we deal with
another type of safeness.
You go out and you know
you cannot carry your necklace.
You know that
you need to pay attention
of your surroundings
and stuff like that
Its a whole other level.
But you dont have the fear
to send your kids to school.
I cant recall
going to school...
feeling scared.
Or my mom talking to me
If somebody comes
to school to shoot you
youve got nowhere to go.
So I didn't grow up with that.
The hardest part in my job
is caring for other kids
and having the responsibility of
providing a safe environment
for them.
It is hard.
I don't want to carry
the responsibility
of losing a childs life
on my hand.
I don't think
I could live with that, so...
I don't think nobody could,
you know?
That must be really hard.
So when Zara would go
to this daycare
what would the safety plan
look like here?
We have trained for lockdowns
and unsafe buildings
and stuff like that.
But an active shooter,
we havent.
So that's why we wanted
to get training.
And if you look, you know,
at last year...
Look at this, in 2022
not a single week passed
without at least
four mass shooting events.
It's crazy.
And we say mass shooting,
were talking about
four or more people
that have been shot.
So thats quite a few events.
You know, you can see,
646 mass shootings...
What is there,
365 days in a year?
So we're talking, what?
About two a day?
That's numbers
that we've never seen before.
But that's why this training
has become so important.
And just as we prepare for fires
and floods and tornadoes
and earthquakes.
Sadly weve got to start
thinking about this stuff, too.
So what we're going to
talk about today is really...
I want the teachers to be
the best they can be.
Teaching the kids
the proper way.
And you know,
shaping those young minds.
I don't want
them to be combat warriors.
That's not fair.
They didn't sign up for that.
But when I saw
the numbers and said
wow, less than half
of early childhood programs
aren't prepared
for an active shooter.
Weve got to do
something about that.
I don't want to minimize
the impact
that youre going to have
as the initial responder.
Because your actions
or inactions...
are really going to set
the stage on how this goes.
Weve got
a bunch of options here.
Weve got running,
weve got hiding
weve got fighting.
And I can't tell
you specifically
which options
are going to be best
because the situation you're in
might be very different.
You know, if you're
in the infant room
your options are very different
than somebody that's working
with a four or a five year old.
So sometimes hiding
might be the best choice
Sometimes running
might be the best choice.
Sometimes, you're going
to have no choice
but to defend yourself, right?
And we want to make sure
that we practice those options
so that we become
comfortable with them
and know what to do
in all sorts of
different settings.
So here they are:
run, hide and fight.
So let's look at the run option.
So weve got everybody out
in under 20 seconds
which is, you know,
simply amazing.
- What do you think Ron?
- Very, very fast.
Everybody did really,
really well.
- Good job ladies.
- Excellent, good job guys.
Yay, Dante!
In terms of our hiding...
That's another option
that we want to think about.
Our objectives are
to stay out of sight
to put some barricades up
to make it as hard as possible
to get to us...
and to keep the kids as calm
and as quiet as we possibly can.
Now, the last part
of the whole thing
is fighting if we have to.
We're really not just getting
into a fair fight here.
We're trying to
defend and survive.
But now we have to be thinking
okay, if I'm in there...
And I'm trapped in there,
I have no other way out.
What am I going to do?
Well, I'm going to grab this,
right?
You know, first thing
that I can find.
What if somebody comes in?
I can squirt them in the eyes.
I can maybe hit him
over the head with this.
I'm going to try to find
anything that I can
to defend myself.
I just see those teachers
standing there with like...
tools that they find,
like blocks and stuff.
And Im just wondering,
how on earth
are they going to
defend themselves
with somebody coming in
with like a machine gun?
Well, I think theres
a couple different things
that we can,
you know, think about.
A pair of scissors
is obviously not going to be
a very good weapon of choice
against a machine gun.
But Ive got to tell you,
if I'm pinned in a room
and that's
the only thing I have...
I'm going to make a go at it
because I don't want
it to be easy, to kill me
I'm going to make it
as difficult as possible
for that person.
Maybe I can slow
that person down.
Maybe I can buy some time
so that others
aren't killed or injured.
So that's kind of what
the mentality sadly has to be.
When Andy and I leave here
we hope that you'll
continue practicing this.
And not just do this like once
once a year or once in a while,
but do this on a regular basis
so you're already ready to go.
Because practice
is going to make us prepared.
And the more we practice
the better it's going to be
for us during any emergency.
I dont know how you,
you do a drill with babies?
I don't know how that works,
to be honest.
The drill that you guys saw...
are the kids involved
in these drills?
Well, what we saw
was like a training
for the teachers.
Um, and so I think
the teachers have to do that
with the kids a
few times a year,
but we didn't really see that.
And I also don't think that
the kids realize it yet
at that young age.
But I am worried about
when the kids get older...
So if we put Zara there,
when she gets older
when she starts to realize
what this is about
what its going to do to her.
These sounds are clues for you
to tune in
and get somewhere safe.
Excuse me.
We will be talking about:
Staying quiet!
When we hear
Lock down, locks, lights
out of sight.
We need to stay quiet
in our hiding place.
Look at this
picture of a quiet mouth.
What do you think it means
to have a quiet mouth?
Yes, Alice.
It means you don't talk.
Very good.
It even means you don't whisper.
What would you do...
You're not in the classroom.
You're not with another teacher.
But maybe you're on the way
to the bathroom.
You're all by yourself.
And...
You might hear an announcement
that says: run, hide, fight.
Or you might hear a noise
that sounds like a weapon.
Or maybe you see a bad guy.
You're all by yourself
in the hallway.
What would you do
in that situation?
If all the doors are closed
except the one
of the first graders
- you can go in there.
- That should be number one.
But let's say that there is
no way to go into another class
because the doors are shut
and they're locked.
Or, there's just
nobody else in here
and you dont know
what to do.
You can hide somewhere
on the playground, okay?
Schools are
a very safe place to be.
You're safe here.
Last summer
when I found out about
the school shooting
at Robb Elementary
in Uvalde, Texas
I was so devastated by the news
that another school shooting
had happened.
Every day that I walk
my children to school
I say, I love you,
and I watch them.
And just breathe
because thats all I can do,
and hope that...
everyone is doing their job
to protect them.
I'm doing my job
to try and raise awareness
change the conversation
support people who are
changing the conversation
because I don't have
all the answers.
Welcome to this service,
mourning those who have died
from gun violence.
This afternoon well be reading
the known names
of those who have died
in Harris County, during 2022
from gun violence.
Today we are remembering
Texas gun violence victims.
It's too many.
And thinking about our children
who are being put
in the line of fire.
Who are
being called to action
as if they were
in military service
without choice
and without protection.
You did 21 laps?
- Nice.
- And I forced my ankle.
Well, maybe that's
why your ankle hurts.
How was the rest
of your lunch?
I'm sorry I could only stay
for a few minutes.
All right.
You guys in Lego world now?
When I was researching
the project
I thought about
how our children are essentially
playing war games at school.
Whether they want to or not,
that this is their life.
And theyre having to do
these active shooter drills
and lockdowns.
and they're playing
war games.
What happens
during your drills?
Mommy doesn't know
what you guys do?
Well, for the lockdown drills...
The principal will say
on the announcement
It's a lockdown drill.
Lock your doors.
And we hide behind our shelves.
But we can't do anything else.
Sometimes
whenever we do the drills
no one ever tells us.
Our teachers dont tell us
if it's a real one
or just practice.
So I get scared sometimes
to see if it's real
or if it's just a drill.
And if we don't get up
and scoot our chairs quietly
and we're loud, we start over
and do it again
until we can make it good.
- You want to show me?
- Uh huh.
All right, say the drill.
Teachers, lock your doors.
Teachers, lock your doors.
This is a lockdown.
My daughter said that
it helps her to prepare.
And that makes me so sad...
to think that she has to prepare
for such an event.
- Hi, nice to meet you.
- Hi.
Thanks for being with us.
No problem.
I'm a professor of public health
in New Mexico State University.
My research has focused on
how schools are preparing.
And what would they do
in certain situations.
So most schools
in your neighborhood
my neighborhood,
have security cameras
backpack checks,
metal detectors,
locked doors, a lockdown drill
preparing students
for a mass shooting.
This is a drill.
I repeat, this is a drill.
We are in a
level three lockdown.
The problem is...
they have not been able
to stop a mass shooting.
Get into the closet.
Go in the closet.
Turn the light on,
until we get in there.
Let's go, get the chairs
up there. Let's go.
The rest of you,
get in the closet.
Let's go.
Get in the closet!
There is no documented evidence
that we could stop
a mass shooting
with this kind of an approach.
You're quiet.
Keep your hands to yourself.
And thats a typical
American school now.
It has become a war zone.
No one is asking
is this conducive
to learning? Education?
Why are we creating
this climate of fear?
A palace, a fortress.
No place in the world
would you see this
in a developed nation.
There are studies to show
that kids have felt vulnerable
and distressed
because of these exposures.
And that's why the whole idea
has become controversial.
We have fire drills
lockdown, tornado, earthquake.
Our last drill,
a lockdown drill
we did like, a full thing.
We ripped apart
the room, we grabbed tables
and we shoved it at the door
like it was real.
All the kids were scared and...
I was scared because the mic
did not say lockdown drill
or I didn't hear it.
So I thought it was
a real lockdown.
I was trying my best to hide
and it made me a little scared
and nervous because...
I didn't...
I didn't feel safe at school.
Nobody feels safe.
Nobody feels safe at school.
It's never really safe.
I dont know,
it's not really safe sometimes.
I think it'll probably happen
in our school
because people
sometimes go insane
and they might want to
like, take their anger out
on kids.
So they might want to come
to our school
and might take their anger out
on them, by killing us.
Maybe.
I dont... I really
don't like it because
there's a lot of
bad people in the world.
Yeah, we try not to think about
it too much or else we...
We kind of get like...
- Like, thinking about it.
- Nervous.
Kind of like Oh
a school shooting
is going to happen today.
That's not something that you
want to think about, right?
No...
I think that,
some of the teachers
should have, like um,
a pistol or something
hidden in the classroom
to protect the students.
Yeah, I think that too.
Because, um...
Because if the person
does have a gun
it would be nice to
have some protection.
Like 22 rifles, 22 long rifles.
At least a BB gun for our class.
For every single class.
It would cost a little bit,
but...
it would be worth it
for the school.
- For keeping the students safe.
- Yeah.
It will cost a little bit
but it would keep
the students safe.
I wonder if my daughter
will feel the same.
When I was a kid
this never crossed my mind.
But I guess things
were different back then.
And this is America.
The first year we moved here
we killed 38 rattlesnakes
just on this road.
And now we might see
three or four a year.
I was a high school teacher,
for 20 years.
You started hearing of
school shootings
and I would think
what I would do.
I didn't want to...
watch something happen,
or be a victim.
I wanted to be proactive.
I remember
coming home from school
and talking to Jeff all the time
about different scenarios.
What would I do
if this happened?
What would I do
if that happened?
I want to protect my kids.
So, we were able
to collaborate together
and come up with a good system
that would work for teachers.
The point of this is
to have trained guardians.
You can put signs on your school
that say, we have armed staff.
And that's a deterrent.
You're making the school
a hard target
so somebody is not going
to want to breach that.
And that's the number one goal
of the Guardian Program.
The number two goal would be
to actually use deadly force
in the event
that there's a shooter.
So an important component
about the school Guardians
is they're armed.
A lot of people think
we're just giving guns
to teachers.
And thats not it.
So part of our training includes
scenario training on the campus.
So we have
someone that's a bad guy.
We actually put
the Guardian staff
in a shooting situation
where they have to
defend themselves
or, take out the shooter.
And that's as close to realistic
as we can make it.
It's not just for teachers,
its for all school staff.
Administration, maintenance,
IT and stuff like that.
Most of those people
are what we call seekers.
So if there's actually
a threat on campus
they would seek the threat
to stop it.
And then we have what
we call classroom defenders
like what Terry would have been.
We don't ever tell a teacher
to leave their classroom.
They need to stay
with their kids.
So if the shooter happened
to come in that room
then they can defend
that classroom.
So there's really two types
of Guardians that we look at.
Based on history
a shooter
has some tie to the school.
So you have to prepare yourself
as much as possible
and not think of that student
as a student, but as a killer.
We tell them that
if you do have to use
deadly force to stop a shooter
you're never
going to be the same.
And the opposite is true.
What if I did not have
my handgun
and let's say
ten people were killed?
So that guilt is also
going to weigh on that person
for the rest of their lives.
- Here's your weapon.
- Thanks.
Here's your sword.
Okay, here we go.
I have to say that um...
The thought of this happening
in my daughter's school....
- Yeah, its scary.
- It scares me.
It is.
It's frightening.
Yeah.
Most of our people
that go through that
it's pretty emotional.
Because it's on
their home campus.
It's their turf.
Do you feel like this can be
traumatizing to teachers?
Just going through the training?
Um, I think the scenario
training can be to a point.
I don't think it gets
to the point where
it's going to cause
them problems.
But I think it's going to
help them face
the reality of, if this happens
this is what
it's going to be like.
And during that time,
we have had some people
that we've had to expel
from the program
or excuse from the program
expel is a horrible word
because at that point
they didn't have...
they're not going to be able
to defend against a threat.
They're probably going
to become a victim.
And it's just...
Not everybody can do this.
How did it feel for you
as a teacher carrying a gun?
I would say it did raise
my level of confidence
and security.
And I even told my students,
when I would introduce myself
and we would start
the school year
I would say,
I just want you to know
that no matter what happens
Ill protect you with my life.
I'm here for you in every
aspect, not just education.
And, um...
You know, it's just the care
that you have for your students.
It's natural.
By the way, they voted her
best teacher of the year.
after that.
A lot of people have
a tendency to do this.
They drop their firearm.
But when you're in combat,
this is combat
you're going to lean out.
Okay. Just a little bit.
You're trying not to expose
the rest of your body
because this is a target area
for the bad guy.
I think it's interesting
that you say, this is combat.
And I'm talking specifically
about schools.
- You refer to it as...
- Well, its combat training.
That's what it is.
A lot of this training,
it comes from my experience
other law enforcement
officers experience.
Military experience.
And it's, the way
it's been described
and the way we describe it,
because we want it to be bold
is combat training.
You are in combat
against someone
who's trying to kill you.
The only other place that
you see a situation like this
is on the battlefield,
in a war.
We're not prepared for combat.
Do we have tools
to combat
an event?
Yes.
But we're not laying siege
on anything.
We're not going to war.
We're going to protect.
So it's not combat...
its protection.
I don't know any educator
that wants to do this.
I don't want to have to have...
I don't want to
have to carry a gun.
I don't want to have to have
a bulletproof vest.
I dont want to have
to have any of that.
But the times in
which we live...
are dictating that.
And so like everything else,
we evolve.
And that's what we've done.
And as a result of that,
we now have AR-15s
as part of our weaponry
that we have here on school
stored in safes
throughout the campus.
It's just another tool.
And so its just
one other deterrent that we have
in case the bad guys
want to do bad things.
In small towns,
there are some limitations.
We have
no local police department.
Our local sheriff's
department...
The office is a minimum
of 15 minutes away.
Even if they're running with
their sirens on
it's going to take time.
So why do we give
someone with bad intentions
more time?
You know, we will have
in essence,
our own police force
our teachers,
that choose to be armed.
Because my teachers
will be closer to the action
than anyone else would be.
Did you ever have
any outside threats
like, did something ever happen?
When I first got here in 2014
I actually had a teacher
go into a diabetic state.
He grabbed a gun
and fired two shots.
And here I am.
I'm running after
somebody that has a gun
trying to figure out
what's going on.
And I'm like, you know
there's something
not quite right here.
I'm running unarmed,
towards a guy that is armed.
And I'm just like, okay.
And when we found him,
he was passed out
and we had EMT,
shortly afterwards and stuff.
And sure enough,
it was very low insulin.
And he was...
He wound up being okay
But, he didn't teach
at Fayetteville ISD
for much longer after that.
- Can I ask another question?
- Yeah.
Isnt it kind of funny, that...
The...
The thing that got you
into giving guns to teachers
was actually
a teacher with a gun?
You know what?
I really never thought of it
that way.
But yes, it is. It is a
very interesting concept.
And, you know, I do...
see kind of the, you know
kind of the backwards thinking
on that now.
So thank you
for pointing that out.
But yet at the same time,
you know...
You know, it's not fun.
It's not something
we want to do.
But I think
it's creating awareness
and I think it's creating,
giving kids an understanding of
hey, I'm going to be protected
because these people
care about me.
Guns are
the leading cause of death
among children
in the United States.
4000 children
will die of guns this year
in the United States.
Wow.
- That's a very sad number.
- That's a very sad number.
Its a billion dollar industry
to make schools safer.
But it's
a false sense of security.
The fact remains that
most of the children
who die of guns
in the United States
die away from the school.
They're dying in the community
on the streets,
in the household.
And so we have
our priorities misplaced.
We react in the wrong places,
and then we have
this blame game.
We blame Democrats,
Republicans, immigration,
criminals, mental illness,
too many guns.
Everything comes into play.
We have a great divide
as a nation
on what should we do?
I don't really see...
how guns could help us
feel more safe.
I've never...
until recently thought that
I needed to protect my house.
Only, like during the pandemic
did I start thinking
oh, maybe
I need a gun for protection.
You know, because of
the uncertainty
with everything
that was going on.
I always thought of
just having a shotgun.
Do you really think that if
somebody breaks into the house
that you're going to shoot him?
I would shoot him in the legs.
Like, if some crazy guy
breaks in here?
Right...
Trust me, I would not be
trying to shoot anybody.
No, but that's
what everybody says, right?
It's just for the bad guy.
- You know, its just..
- Im just trying to understand.
It's for your,
your mental, you know...
well-being.
It makes you feel better.
But, yeah.
It doesn't always work.
Obviously.
But, it makes you feel better.
Yeah. Okay.
That's why people do it.
Because they feel
that they're afraid.
That's what this country
is all about.
- Being afraid.
- Right.
You know, we're all afraid
so we feel like we have to...
So do you feel afraid then?
- In this country?
- Yeah.
Like there's a lot of violence
in this country.
It happens everywhere,
all the time, so...
I don't know, sometimes,
you know, I think about it.
It's a possibility.
It could happen to anyone.
And that's a problem.
You know.
That people think
that they need a gun?
That's a problem?
Yeah. Yeah.
And that there are
guns everywhere.
So it's like
well, everybody else has a gun,
so I better get a gun.
- When does it end?
- Yeah.
Sometimes I wonder
if we should raise Zara
here at all.
Yeah.
That's how I feel.
You're safe now.
You're in a safe space,
youre in a safe place now.
So let's begin on an inhale
with a count to four.
One, two, three, four...
And hold it there.
One, two, three, four
five, six, seven, and exhale.
Release
two, three, four
five, six, seven, eight.
So let's just ground.
Just notice your feet
rooted to the floor.
Notice the seat supporting you
where you're sitting.
Uvalde...
was a vicarious trauma
that everyone in Texas
experienced.
How do we as a collective heal
from traumatic experience,
right?
When something
traumatic happens
we withdraw.
But then the other response
is to kind of attack it
or create like a...
make it into the,
like the bad guy, like...
Were fighting against
this big thing, right?
We're going to assault it back
and were going to kill it.
We're going to make it go,
right?
And so I think that can create
more stress and fear.
One of the things that came
out of the extreme fear is
drills in all public schools.
In my son's former school,
during a lockdown drill
one of the teachers
in the building
had forgotten to close her door.
And as the principal went around
to check all of the doors
and that they were following
all of their protocols...
He came upon her open door
and he entered into the room
and he went,
Bang bang bang bang!
You would be dead because
you didn't close this door.
Don't ever make that
mistake again.
You know,
which is fear and threat.
My daughter...
she did participate in
shooter drills at school.
She seemed to handle it fine
but her peers
were really scared.
One of the things I think
she learned from a peer was
she was three years old,
and she would come home
and you know, talk to me
while I'm putting her to bed
about how
If a bad guy would try
to mess with me
I would just beat him up.
And I would get him.
So to hear that kind of talk
from a three year old...
I was just like,
why are you thinking about this?
It thinks Im a bad guy.
Oh, ok.
It sees me.
Theyre coming.
I do want the schools,
to be prepared
in the event of something
catastrophic happening.
And at the same time,
I don't want my child
to feel like
they're under threat.
I want them to feel safe.
Like all parents,
I want my kid to feel safe.
But what does that mean?
Hey pumpkin.
Want to see my stethoscope?
Oh, what is that?
Stories of gun violence
have become a part
of my everyday life
in the most unexpected places.
Can we listen to your heartbeat?
Oh, there we go.
In stores, at playgrounds
even at our
pediatrician's office.
Although if she starts daycare,
we'll see you sooner, right.
So we do expect
the average kid in daycare
to get about
seven to ten colds a year.
Oh wow.
So, not uncommon
to start seeing the runny noses.
So, we just kind of
like to prepare parents
to get ready for a
few more illnesses with daycare.
But a lot of times,
its really fun...
When I found out
you were doing this documentary
it just immediately was like,
this is something
so near and dear to myself
and my daughter.
As a pediatrician, we know
the value of preparedness.
We do.
We know the value of
a fire drill and
a tornado drill.
But with kids,
those kind of drills
they don't have a bad guy,
right?
And so the notion of
an active shooter drill
brings in an element of
there are unsafe people.
And, um...
that is
a whole different level of
of, um...
anxiety for kids.
Unfortunately,
there's some reality too.
On January 26, 2021
so just a little over
two years ago
we had a gunman
come into our office
at the end of our clinic day
with the sole intention
of killing a female physician
that day.
My daughter was dropped off
a few minutes
before the gunman came.
At the time she was twelve.
She already had some anxiety.
In fact, for years,
she actually has had nightmares
about active shooters.
Even though prior to that
she never experienced
any gun violence.
The idea for her
that the boogeyman is now human
and really did do harm,
became very real.
That day actually started off,
not pleasant.
I had a fight with my dad
and that ended up with
me feeling like wanting to die.
When my mom wanted
to take me inside to her office
a group of people
came outside, running.
There was a gunman
inside the office
that had hostage equipment.
And we didn't know
what his intentions were.
We just knew that
there was a guy in the office
that had a gun.
The doctor that was inside
that day
she was helping my mom
with finding like,
stuff for my therapy
that specific day.
I remember
my mom telling us that, like
she wasn't going to die.
And if anyone could go through
a hostage situation escape
that would be her.
Because she just had this, like
way of talking that
you could get along with her
even if you were like,
a murderer.
And that's when my mom
told us all to run
to the office next door.
I asked my mom like,
a couple times, like:
Are we going to die?
What did she answer?
She couldn't answer...
because she didn't have
an answer.
At the time that was
the worst possible thing...
was silence and not knowing
if I actually was or not.
And that helped me realize,
like, that's not what I want.
I don't want die,
I want to live.
I want to experience life
in a way that...
is amazing and fun and...
That's definitely not
how I wanted to die.
We had hours of being concerned
that our lives were in danger.
And to look at
your child at twelve
laying on the floor.
And then six hours of SWAT.
My daughter had to watch
a SWAT team
prepare over and over again,
how to handle the situation.
And unfortunately,
it did not end how we expected.
And she had to process,
just like myself...
when they came and told us that,
that our dear friend, her doctor
had been shot and, um...
I think we were
honestly in shock.
We had no idea that
that was going to happen.
Because, like...
Sirens.
Do they
make you feel uncomfortable?
Yeah.
What is going through your mind,
now that you're hearing them?
Just a lot of stuff.
When I hear sirens, I...
go straight to shootings.
And I'm not safe.
Her lockdown drills now...
We have it set up where
she does not participate
in active shooter drills
at school.
So her counselor at school
knows to pull her.
If I'm not working,
I will go pick her up
and we will go have coffee.
Just because it is...
Its too much for her.
Yeah, it changes you.
Are you supposed to have
a drill this week?
I'm not sure.
Honestly, nobody will know.
I'm usually the one that knows.
Yeah, I didnt see a note
from your counselor.
But they dont send out
an email to everybody?
No.
So youre the only one
that knows.
It's a surprise,
even for the teachers.
Do they announce
that it's a drill?
- Do they say: This is a drill?
- No, no.
This is a real emergency,
is what they say.
So what happens
if someone's in the hallway?
The doors are locked
so you can't go back in.
That's why I don't use
the restroom at school
or go in the hallway.
Because you're afraid
you're gonna get stuck
in a lockdown.
- Oh my...
- Yeah.
It's kind of weird
because as much training
as you get
the very person that may come up
and shoot up your school
is going to have gone
through the same training.
Oh yeah.
Kids out of America
they, like look at us
like we're crazy.
Because honestly
they don't have to go through,
what we go through.
And that is mind blowing,
because that's...
that's our lives now.
I would love to wake up
and go to school
and not have to worry
about dying.
Not have to worry about
getting a bulletproof backpack.
That sucks.
It sure does.
When do you have to do
your debate?
- Wednesday.
- Are you ready?
No...
I have to memorize the speech.
So do you remember
how youre starting your speech?
Run, hide, fight.
Run. Hide. Fight.
Three words you think
you would never need to know
especially at school.
You would think
school is a place to learn
but right now, it feels like
it could be a place to die.
America shouldn't be like this.
Schools shouldn't be like this.
We need to become
the kind of country that says
lives of children
are more valuable
than the right to weapons
that have killed them.
Time and time again.
Since Columbine.
Since Sandy Hook.
Since Red Lake.
Since West Nickel Mines.
Since Virginia Tech.
Since Oikos.
Since Umpqua.
Since Parkland. Since Santa Fe.
Since Uvalde.
Since Northern Illinois's.
Since UT. Since West Side.
Since Iowa.
Since Michigan State.
Since Nashville.
Since...
The fact that I can name
hundreds more makes me sick.
The question it comes down to
is kids or guns.
The Uvalde shooter
reportedly used
an AR-15 style
semi-automatic rifle
in the bloodbath
at Robb Elementary School
in Uvalde, Texas
which is three hours
away from us.
It took nearly 77 minutes
for nearly
400 law enforcement officers
to face an 18 year old
with an AR-15
who murdered 21 people
in just minutes.
Many were unidentifiable.
I grew up in Uvalde.
I was a bookworm.
I always loved reading.
I was much you know,
very much a rule follower.
One time
I was chewing gum in class
and I got sent
to lunch detention
because I was
chewing gum in class
and that was not allowed.
And that was the only time
I ever got in trouble.
Are you still a rule follower?
Because that's really funny
that you say
chewing gum is like the worst...
Yes, yes.
Good girl!
When I was in second grade
my teacher asked me
to go up to the board
and I was showing something
to the students.
I think we were doing math.
I liked it.
I like being up there
and, you know,
the class following me.
And since then
I always knew
that's what I wanted to do.
I wanted to be a teacher.
I started in 1993.
So 30 years I've been teaching.
I loved it.
And then it just turned...
you know, everything went bad.
On May 24th
we only had
three more days of school to go.
So we...
That day we were doing
some STEM projects
with newspaper.
We were going to have
a little race
and they were going to try out
their newspaper shoes
to see who made
the sturdiest shoes.
So we took some pictures.
I think we took
about four or five pictures.
And so then they lined up
and we're getting ready
to go outside.
And then my line leader
she's looking out the window
and she says
Miss...
Miss Demings class
came in...
screaming and
they ran in the room
and they slammed the door.
And I said
let me see what's,
what's going on.
So then, um...
she moves out of the way
and I open the door
and I...
poke my head
out into the hallway
to see, you know
if I could see what's going on.
And when I do that,
I hear somebody screaming
Get in your rooms,
get in your rooms!
So immediately I know
something is going on.
I slam the door shut.
I turn off the lights.
We had blackout curtains
so the room was very dark.
They all start running
to the corner
where we usually do
our lock down drill
and as soon as we're doing that
we start hearing
the shots in the hallway.
Some of the girls start crying
and I'm trying to
calm them down.
And I feel
something hit me...
in my stomach.
And so I put my hand
immediately on there and...
And then I see
that I have blood.
So I tell the kids
Oh, no...
Im shot.
Is anybody else hurt?
They say, No, no.
And then by that point,
I fall to the floor.
This bullet had to go through
three walls to get to me.
And...
and we keep hearing,
we keep hearing...
Shots. More and more shots.
And it just sounds like,
one right after the other
like that, just
fire, fire, fire.
And, um...
They're scared.
Theyre scared for me.
But I tell them
we need to stay down.
We need to stay quiet.
And, um...
I was praying, you know
I didn't want to die
in front of my kids.
I didn't want them
you know, to go through that.
And then, my little girls,
some of my little girls
that were next to me
were patting me
and they were telling me
We love you, Miss.
Youre going to be okay.
It's okay.
So they were
very, very brave.
So what do you feel about
teaching kids
to go hide behind the corner
to protect yourself
from a guy
with a weapon like that?
That doesn't make sense, right?
The kids knowing what to do and,
you know, trying to stay safe
helped in my,
in my classroom
but in the classrooms where
he was able to get in, you know
there was really nothing
they could do.
There was nowhere to hide,
you know.
If the same thing
would have been
in my classroom too,
if he had entered...
There really wasn't...
much, that we could have done.
So, um...
I really don't know that
the drills are
the solution either.
We need...
we need more.
In the beginning,
it was so hard.
In the hospital,
the first two weeks...
I couldn't tolerate any noises.
Any sudden sounds
would trigger me back.
Whenever I would
hear noises, I would...
I would start panicking
and I would start crying
uncontrollably.
I couldn't be around anybody.
I just had my sister.
I did everything.
You know,
I followed all the protocol
for the drills and everything.
I still ended up
getting injured.
He never came to my classroom,
but I still ended up...
So it's like you say,
how do you prepare for that?
Wear a bulletproof vest
every day, I guess, I mean...
- Bulletproof walls?
- Bulletproof everything.
Bulletproof our life. I mean...
Live in a bubble?
Live in a bubble?
Its crazy.
Because now even y'all here now,
are doing the drills, right?
It's supposed to be instant.
So, when they tell you:
do this
you automatically know
what to do.
Yeah, I just sit in my office.
Okay, how am I going to dig
my way out of here?
- You know, I start thinking...
- I know, thats scary.
That's me,
when I go somewhere...
Grab my gun.
Because I don't know
if she told you
I do carry a gun.
Do you really feel comfortable
stopping an active shooter?
If somebody is coming at me
you think
I'm not going to defend myself
If I know how to shoot back?
I wouldn't hesitate.
- I would not hesitate.
- Youre different than me.
I guess because you're
in a different setting.
You're in an office
and you're by yourself.
I'm with...
- You're with kids.
- 20 kids, you know.
You're with kids.
I would have to think, you know.
Well no, even then.
More so.
- To protect them?
- To protect them.
- Then Im not a gun person
- You're not a gun person.
You're afraid of guns.
You don't like,
You don't like them at all.
I've never been afraid of them.
We're just different that way.
Yeah.
I even practice
to make sure that
I shoot, you know...
to stop the person.
How do you how to,
where to stop them.
- Where do you have to shoot?
- Body mass.
- I dont even...
- Or artery.
But that's harder
to shoot up here.
That's why you,
full body mass.
But wouldn't you shoot
at their hand...
Their shooting hand?
No, because if you miss,
they're going to shoot you.
That's true. See?
So y'all study all that
when you take those classes?
- Yes.
- Oh, ok.
Now you know, sister.
We should feel safe
when we're around you.
I guess you can protect us.
Well, Im going to try, yeah.
That's true.
How many more guns
do people
in the United States need
to feel better, to feel safe?
There is no end to it.
Uvalde, Texas.
There were so many good guys
standing outside
and not confronting the bad guy.
So how long can we just fixate
on the bad guy.
I don't want to become
this person
that feels the need
to go get a gun
to protect myself.
Yeah.
I just don't want to be
like that.
That person.
And I dont...
I just don't want to worry
about her the whole time.
And I don't want her
to grow up like that, so...
You know.
I don't want her
to think about all this shit.
Its ridiculous.
Yeah, to live in fear
is just a horrible way to live.
I don't think people realize
the effects that it has on you
- and your well-being.
- No.
If youre...
afraid to send
your kid to school
You're afraid
to go to the grocery store.
So for me,
this is not a safe place
for a kid to grow up.
I don't want to
have that anymore.
It's not worth it.
- No, its not.
- It's not worth it.
I think after all of this, that
me and my husband
kind of came to the conclusion
that we should raise our kid
in Belgium and not here.
Not only because
there might be a school shooting
but also, there might be
a drill going wrong
there might be a teacher
that loses it
that is carrying a gun,
you know.
Yeah, I...
I don't fault you
for your thinking
and for your logic.
And I can only imagine
how kind of jarring, or shocking
coming here and seeing
this firsthand must be.
It really must be,
quite the experience.
It is, yeah.
It is an embarrassment when...
we all think we live
in the best country in the world
and we can't really solve
this problem.
And other countries
really don't have this problem.
Because I do think there are
steps that could be done
but we just have chosen not
to do it for whatever reason.
It saddens me to see
you say something like that.
And I get where
you're coming from.
I would absolutely leave.
It's not to say
there aren't good people here.
And it's not to say
that changes aren't happening.
They're just not happening
fast enough.
And why would you stay
if you have another option.
Do yall have
lockdown drills in Belgium?
No we dont.
We never had one.
- Ever?
- Ever.
We also never had
a school shooting.
Oh my gosh...
That's crazy.
So, and here's
the question I ask.
Okay, so yeah,
you have a problem with this.
What's your solution?
How should we protect kids?
How should we save kids lives?
The best way to do that
within our laws over here
is to use deadly force
with a firearm.
And that's just the way it is.
And it's always
going to be like that.