'Good vs. evil:' Scranton teachers, staff receive active shooter training
Sep. 6—SCRANTON — Deafening pops from a shotgun echoed through the halls of Scranton High School. A lockdown call came across the loudspeaker. The teachers in a second floor science lab raced to stack desks in front of the door.
"You're going to die!" yelled the actor — a Scranton police officer — as he fired shots down hallway B on Tuesday.
Nicole Ralicke, a second grade teacher at McNichols Plaza Elementary, pulled the door handle closed as tight as she could. Colleagues hid under science lab tables and picked up anything they could use in self defense — umbrellas, hot coffee and a can of Raid insect killer.
Ralicke didn't let go until police gave the call of "all clear." Her hands shook.
"It's traumatic," she said, thinking of her own students.
The Scranton School District pushed the start of school back until Thursday to allow for emergency response training Tuesday and Wednesday. About half of the district's staff participated Tuesday, learning from members of the Scranton Police Department about civilian response to active shooter events. Following May's shooting of 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, and increasing concerns about safety and security in Scranton schools, officials wanted to offer more training to school staff.
"Teachers can no longer focus exclusively on educating students. They are the first line of defense in the classroom," said David Baker, the district's new director of safety and security, whose experience includes Lackawanna County chief detective, Navy intelligence officer and Secret Service agent. "We really need to rely on these folks to be the frontline of defense and act with confidence."
Safety concerns in Scranton grew over the course of the last school year, especially after the June stabbing death of an 18-year-old near Scranton High School shortly after school dismissed. Over the summer, the district announced new policies, such as requiring clear or mesh bookbags and banning cellphone use, and hired a security firm to provide armed guards throughout the district. A new walkthrough weapons detection system at secondary schools will be installed soon.
Scranton Police Chief Tom Carroll studied the reports from Uvalde and from the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people died, learning how law enforcement can better respond and schools can be safer.
"This is good vs. evil," he said. "These classes are so important."
Back in the second floor hallway, the actor — Scranton Police Sgt. Eric Lindsay — fired his gun again as staff barricaded doors and hid in corners. Carroll observed, giving teachers suggestions on how to best protect their students.
After learning it was safe to leave the classrooms again, teachers exited with their hands above their heads.
"You just keep picturing yourself with your students," said Katie Paolucci, a third grade teacher at William Prescott Elementary School. "I just kept thinking about my 27 little babies."
Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9133; @hofiushallTT on Twitter.
