Liwan District has equipped schools with five types of "weapons," including knives and sticks, and launched self-defense and self-rescue training for children. However, some argue that school emergency drills involving weapons may glorify violence. ◎ Zhang Yuhang (5th-grade student): Our school usually holds one or two emergency drills per semester. We find them fun, but often it's just playtime—nothing memorable.
◎Mr. Meng (Parent): This approach is commendable—it enhances children's self-protection awareness while improving their adaptability. However, drill scenarios require careful design. Young children lack independent critical thinking skills; if drills excessively focus on violence, it may leave psychological scars. Therefore, teacher guidance is indispensable during security drills.◎Zheng Minqiu (Principal, Wenchang Elementary School): Using knives and sticks in drills is rather extreme, as such situations are unlikely to occur in daily life.We should instead focus on everyday scenarios, such as commuting to and from school. Encourage students to identify potential situations and develop appropriate responses for each. Simulate these scenarios through role-playing games, allowing students to practice and strengthen their awareness through play.
◎Zheng Wei-yi (Principal, Wende Road Elementary School): Conducting a successful drill is no simple task. First, prior to the drill, it is essential to provide psychological counseling to students, reassuring them that our living environment is generally safe, though unexpected incidents and accidents cannot be entirely ruled out.Second, during drills, it's crucial to teach students specific methods. As minors, children have limited capacity for independent thinking and response. For instance, if a mentally ill person enters the campus, we absolutely do not teach children to block them with chairs. Instead, we instruct them to shout loudly and flee immediately, or find a relatively safe place to hide.◎ Mr. Zhang (Parent): Young children are too small and don't really understand anything. Especially when a knife-wielding assailant breaks into the campus, what can defenseless children do? In such extreme moments, the actions of security guards and teachers are the most critical. I believe the most effective approach is to conduct more drills on orderly evacuations during situations like stairwell use or fire alarms. Only then can campus safety incidents be minimized.◎Liu Xiaolei (6th Grade Student): My parents tell me what to do if I meet bad people, but learning how to protect myself and classmates in crowded situations—that's where school drills come in. They really teach you something.