Inside the lockdown at Manual Arts High School

Antero Garcia, a teacher at Manual Arts High School, writes:

Although I don’t teach a fourth-period class, I was sitting in a colleague’s ninth grade class on Friday observing and helping out where I could. But when a lockdown was announced, which for our class would last nearly five and a half hours, I wasn’t able to go anywhere.

Lockdown logistics are not exactly clear to all those involved. The ninth graders I was with were understandably frustrated when a day that was supposed to get out early slowly slid toward the usual dismissal time of 3:11. They became more upset as the clock inched toward 4, 5 and 6 p.m. The class read an apt story during the time: “The Most Dangerous Game,” began viewing a film, played several interactive games including Jeopardy, made frequent use of class members phones to keep family up-to-date and complained numerous times of needing to use the restroom.

Aside from a lack of access to bathrooms, perhaps what is most frustrating for the Manual Arts community during the lockdown is the lack of information. To maintain calm and to keep students feeling safe, briefings were not given about what was happening. In fact, it wasn’t until our class members looked online at around 5 p.m. that we knew that someone was suspected of carrying a gun on campus. Around 6 p.m. our class was escorted by armed LAPD officers to buses where parents could pick up students at the nearby Sports Arena. Teachers were ushered out of a separate gate.

As teachers and as students, our patience was pushed to its limits over the course of the marathon class on Friday. All of us were aware that being confined to our classroom was an issue of safety. I truly admire the fortitude displayed by the 16 ninth graders in Travis Miller’s class.

With the incessant humming of helicopters and the numerous news reports later seen online by Manual Arts teachers and students, this trying experience is one that will help me continue an ongoing conversation with my students about media perceptions, justice and life as students in South Los Angeles.

Comments

[pain1337]

i was right next door at Mr.Carlson's room
it was very boring i really needed to use the
bathroom and everyone was going mad.
the cops weren't so nice either

[janet]

i had p.e. and we were the first one's out.....our gym had restrooms so i was ok..until the LAPD came in and demanded us to stay seated and would not allow us to use it.=/
i think that if the cops would of at least informed the teachers with the issue..it would of been more calm