An overwhelming majority of Americans are in favor of implementing active shooter drills in schools, according to a recent NPR/Ipsos poll. However, there is a significant divide on how to conduct these drills and which safety measures to prioritize.
Both parents and the general public share concerns about gun violence in K-12 education, but their approaches to addressing this issue are heavily influenced by political affiliations, creating a deep partisan divide.
Mallory Newall, Vice President at Ipsos, notes, “You see this really deep partisan divide that has sort of crystallized here when it comes to the type of investment and priority for school safety.”
The poll examined three distinct measures to enhance school safety: social and emotional measures, security measures, and training measures.
Data from the poll indicates that Democrats are more inclined (65% to 38%) to support investments in social and emotional measures to improve school safety. These measures include initiatives such as guidance counseling, anti-bullying campaigns, and increased mental health education.
Conversely, respondents who identified as Republicans strongly favored (60% vs. 30% of Democrats) expanded security measures. These security measures involve the implementation of metal detectors, bulletproof glass, and clear backpacks.
A third, less popular option, was related to investing in training measures, specifically training teachers to carry guns.
The deep partisan divide on school safety measures reflects the challenges in finding a unified approach to protect children in educational settings.