Recently, there has been a rash of hostage takings and executions. To be exact, three have occurred in the past week alone in three different locations– Bailey, Colorado; Madison, Wisconsin; and Paradise, Pennsylvania. Even more worrying, the last shooting occurred in an Amish one-classroom school, hardly a place one would consider violent. Considering this drastic increase in violence, it would be prudent to consider how Andover would be able to deal with such an issue. A first concern to dispel would be that the aggressor would be a student. In only one of the shootings was the attacker a student, and in that case, it was because he was disciplined for carrying tobacco and was being bullied. Considering Andover’s policy and the student body, it would seem unlikely that a student would be behind such an atrocity. Considering the open nature and size of the campus however, it would not be very hard for someone to gain access to an academic building or even many dorms. Almost any student could cite an instance of being harassed by some in-town delinquent, whether it was getting a water balloon or other object launched at you, causing a disturbance at a dorm, or just yelling derogatory messages at you. The point of this is: if an in-town student is able to do so much while out of class, and the school is utterly unable to deal with the situation, what happens if the attacker is someone with a more malicious intent and willing to even sacrifice their life? The school seems woefully unprepared, and looking at the past events, the time it would take for a response could easily become fatal. Any student looking for what the schools response to such a crisis would be would be hard pressed to find a clear policy. The 2006-2007 Blue Book’s Emergency Response Procedures page contains nothing regarding a possible shooter, but instead documents how to deal with a bomb threat. Since Columbine, however, there hasn’t been a bomb attack on a school. Unfortunately, shootings have been far more common. In the face of such security threats, Andover needs to put in place a better contingency and response plan that students are fully aware of. A starting idea would be the ability to lock down the entire campus, ensuring that every building can be immediately shut to prevent access from the outside. Second, teaching students and faculty the proper response to such a situation is extremely important. In such situations, panic will not solve problems, although without any information, it is difficult to imagine what would happen. Lastly, discussing cooperation between police and the Academy’s security could help. Keeping more police on campus and strengthening the school’s ability to respond to any crisis would be welcome. I certainly do not advocate the same defenses for Andover that my old school in Saudi Arabia had – with at least fifty National Guard troops present at all times and complemented by heavy guns and a nearby base. However, these measures were implemented to prevent a terrorist attack, not an enraged individual acting independently of any larger organization. The point is that in Andover’s current state, it is vulnerable, and we should be prepared for any eventuality. If anything, increased security could simply deter the brazen harassment students receive from juvenile delinquents driving around campus. At most, it could prevent a catastrophe. Whatever the case, Andover needs to be better prepared to deal with any eventuality.
