(NewsNation) — The majority of American parents with school-aged children approve of active shooter drills in educational institutions, according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll.
The survey shows parents with a child in K-12 education approve of at least one active shooter drill per school year. The poll, however, finds that opinions on safety priorities vary.
According to the poll, nearly three in five K-12 parents, 55%, say an active shooter drill has occurred at their child’s school. Most of those K-12 parents, 63%, agree children should be required to participate in those drills, starting in kindergarten.
The poll also shows the majority of parents, 80%, favor educational drills that are “evidence-based and age-appropriate over more realistic scenarios.”
When given a choice over both security and training measures, a majority of those polled preferred that schools invest in social and emotional measures.
According to the poll, an overwhelming majority of parents, 88%, support basic lockdown procedures and blocking doors with furniture (79%) during an active shooter drill.
A majority, 78%, also supports warning students ahead of time.
Fewer parents support measures such as banging on the outside of classroom doors, 42%, or using sounds of guns or gunshots, 36%, according to the poll.
When asked who should be held most responsible for keeping children safe from gun violence at school, a majority of those polled, 48%, responded by saying the government should be most responsible.
Just 28% of those polled say school resource officers or school security should be most responsible.
According to the poll, the majority of K-12 parents, 83%, say they are confident in their child’s school’s ability to keep them safe. Just 14% said they were not confident.