Thoughts on the “Back to School Essentials” PSA
Wednesday morning, Sandy Hook Promise launched a PSA called “Back to School Essentials” that has taken the internet by storm. The video is the latest addition to the lineup of anti-violence PSAs the group launches each year. And this one is getting lots of attention for its gut-wrenching depiction of school children using new back-to-school gear to survive an active shooter situation. Running shoes and a skateboard become escape tools; a new red jacket becomes a makeshift door lock; art scissors and colored pencils become defensive weapons for children hiding behind doors. As the excruciating video ends, a coveted new phone becomes a means to send one last “I love you mom.”
WARNING: IMAGES IN THE VIDEO MAY BE CONSIDERED DISTURBING
Sandy Hook Promise’s Educational Mission
Founded by parents of the victims of 2012’s Sandy Hook Shootings, Sandy Hook Promise aims to prevent school shootings through education. Their latest campaign—”Know the Signs”—is designed to highlight warning signs of behaviors that could lead to violence. Here at HAVEN, we whole-heartedly support the educational mission of Sandy Hook Promise, and we know that this type of work is an essential piece of a comprehensive long term strategy to combat school violence.
HAVEN Offers a Solution That Works Now
We also know that we can’t afford to wait for long term results when it comes to saving the lives of our children. Time is of the essence in this crisis, and we must complement educational campaigns and big picture strategies with boots on the ground, impactful solutions that we can implement now.
While bulletproof backpacks have become a troubling symbol of school safety concerns in our modern era, Sandy Hook Promise’s latest video keenly highlights the painful absurdity of trusting school supplies and wardrobe staples to save our kids. The imagery of the young girl securing the doors with her jacket was especially poignant for us, because we know that impenetrable barricades are one of the best ways to stop an active shooter. A cotton jacket won’t do it, but a military-grade device that can be activated in less than two seconds will.
Haven Lockdown™ Barricades Classroom Doors Against Active Intruders
Informed by co-founder Alex Bertelli’s Special Ops experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, the design of Haven Lockdown™ has been optimized for strength, safety, and simplicity. A teacher can activate the ADA and Fire Code compliant lock with one touch, securing their classroom in seconds. Key fob, smartphone app, and mechanical activation offer multiple solutions in a time of crisis, and Lockdown Training modules provide teachers and administrators with the information they need to feel confident implementing Haven Lockdown™ as a security solution.
We’re HAVEN, and We’re Here to Help Keep Our Children Safe
HAVEN was founded by former members of the military and law enforcement. They know what real danger is and have created rock solid defense systems like HAVEN Lockdown™ to put an end to active violence in our schools, places of worship, and offices.