What is the difference between secure mode and lockdown in Texas schools?

HOUSTON – Schools are a place of education and learning.

They are an essential part of growing up and educating the youth about important things they will need to know when they reach adulthood.

For both kids and parents, schools are a place that should be safe, and youth should be able to learn in peace. Sadly, violence and threats against school campuses have been increasing over the years.

• Houston area schools dealing with threats this week. What’s the best way for districts and parents to respond?

On Wednesday alone, several schools around the Houston area were the focus of threats and in at least two cases, weapons being on campus. These incidents caused the schools to be placed in either lockdown or what is known as secure mode.

So, what is the difference between the two? They are both safety protocols, but they are designed to deal with different threats.

Secure Mode

Secure mode is a protocol used to protect staff and students from threats outside the school.

According to the Texas School Safety Center, during a secure mode situation, students are brought inside, and all the doors of the school are locked. The building perimeter is also secured.

• Student stabbed at Houston ISD’s Sterling High School; campus placed on lockdown

In a secure mode situation, classes for the most part continue uninterrupted.

Incidents that would trigger the implementation of secure mode could include criminal activity near the campus or other dangerous events happening nearby.

Lockdown

Lockdown is a little different, in that it is used when there is a potential danger within the building.

In a lockdown situation, individual classroom doors would be locked, the lights in the classroom shut off, and students would be told to remain quiet.

In lockdown situations, typically the outside entry doors to the school are not locked as this could hinder the movement of first responders.

• VIDEO: Student at Alief ISD high school wielding kitchen knife throughout hallways, prompting lockdown

Two of the Wednesday incidents at Houston area schools required a lockdown and they both involved students with weapons on campus. At Alief ISD’s Elsik High School, the school was placed on lockdown after a student was caught waving a kitchen knife in a hallway.

In a separate incident Wednesday, a student was stabbed by a fellow student at Houston ISD’s Sterling High School during a fight.