On Tuesday, January 28, North Atlanta High School was placed under an exterior lockdown, and NAHS students found themselves with an extended second period. From their rooms, some students could see hordes of police cars pulling into the school driveways. For many, their biggest question- besides when can I go to the bathroom?– was what is happening?
Exterior lockdowns are generally- but not always- reserved for occasions when the potential danger to the school is located outside of the building. According to NAHS Student Resource Officer Jeanelle Nicolas, exterior lockdowns allow for normal activities to continue within classrooms while keeping common areas clear. Tuesday’s exterior lockdown enabled law enforcement to effectively search all 11 floors of North Atlanta High School.
It was not the first lockdown of the school year, but it was certainly the longest. Students were in their 2A class from 10 in the morning until two in the afternoon. In a message sent out later that day, interim principal Dr. Angela Mitchell explained that North Atlanta “received an email containing threats of violence” that morning. Ultimately, “the threat was deemed to be not credible,” said Mitchell.
During the lockdown, doors were locked, and teachers were told to prohibit everyone from exiting their classes. The Atlanta Public Schools Police Department and other law enforcement agencies patrolled the school. All the while, students and teachers attempted to work, with some abandoning the hope of focusing entirely. The exact details of the situation being unclear, many were anxious. “I wanted to get out of my classroom,” said 9th grader Ilana Ingran. “We weren’t really doing anything, and I was hungry, and I was kind of scared as well.”
Some students were bored, others concerned, and more still completely relaxed. 12th grader Sincere Mya thought her classroom was overstimulating, but she was not worried. “I was very calm because I knew nothing bad was going to happen because we have really good security at our school,” she said.
Said security included dozens, if not more, police officers, but also K-9 units. The dogs were somewhat fascinating to students. “I could see cars from my classroom window, and a dog scratched our door,” said 10th grader Adaline Daigle.
Yet even with the officers and the dogs and NAHS’s defined and methodical procedures for handling possible threats- not everyone was at ease. Some wanted to leave the premises entirely. “They didn’t evacuate,” said senior Aaron Diaz. “It would be a better idea to evacuate the building.”
NAHS Student Resource Officer Jeanelle Nicolas, one of the manifold officers on the scene, wants students to know that they are safe at school- on all occasions. Nicolas said that the APSPD frequently collaborates with other agencies- the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, MARTAPD, and truancy officers. “We are literally surrounded by law enforcement,” said Nicolas. “There’s a great support system for the schools.”
The fact is unsavory to say the least but undeniable: threats of violence are a part of the high school experience. However, North Atlanta High School is exceptionally well equipped to deal with this reality.
