I guess I'm looking to see what reactions other parents have on this. My son is 6 years old, in the 1st grade. Their elementary is excluded on the opposite side of town from the higher up schools. Anyways. Today, us parents received a letter and an email stating that there would be a critical incident drill (active shooter drill) tomorrow. It also stated that it would be "life-like" and it's our job as parents to talk to our kids tonight and prepare them so they may not have nightmares or fears afterwards. Remind you this school is only 5-9 year olds. But they are bringing in a man dressed in black clothing with a gun vest and mask and a gun shooting blanks and going from classroom to classroom. My thought is I think they are taking it a little too far for their age. Yes I know that in a real situation that it wouldn't be sugar coated but for the time being I think it's a little too much. Today my son said they practiced quickly getting in the closets and getting quiet and even playing dead. They were also taught to throw things at the shooter and using their backpacks as sheilds . That's ok and age appropriate. I'm fine with that part. I think they should be taught where to go and how to quickly manuever and lock the doors and where to hide. But to actually demonstrate and play it out at such a young at No! And shouldn't us parents have a say in this. Kind of like an permission slip type deal? Instead the day before we just get a letter stating what's going to be done.