Recently a new rule has been implemented throughout the West Ada School District. This new rule mandates teachers to keep doors locked and shut while school is in session. The rule has varying opinions from students and parents.

The rule started taking effect during the beginning of the 2022 school year. It was put into place for the safety of teenagers and children in the district, but students have varying views.

“It’s kind of unnecessary. It makes more work for everyone. Students open doors for anyone. An intruder could still get in,” said junior Ryan Major. Major has a good point, but this may not apply to all students.

If an intruder comes into the school, they will most likely try to open doors to classrooms. Since the doors are locked people must get up to open it. There is a window on most of the doors too, so a student or teacher that would open the door can see the intruder clearly before acting.

This policy helps to, at most, inspect the person before opening the door for them. From what is known so far from past horrific events in schools is that the locked doors keep the intruders out.

According to Sandy Hook Advisory Commission (ct.gov), a locked door has not been breached by an intruder in a school since March 6, 2015.

The new door lock policy doesn’t have too many downsides. The main one many people have experienced is having to wait outside of the classroom for someone to open the door. This door lock policy will do good.

This new policy has potential to protect students from an intruder. The district will have hopefully never have to see how this new policy will protect students from a real intruder in the future.