School safety has been a concern throughout the United States recently due to drug overdoses occurring in school and school shootings. An MCPS spokesperson said there have been 11 cases throughout this school year where Narcan was needed. Narcan is used to reverse opioid overdoses.

The most common place for students to be doing disruptive and unsafe activities is in the bathroom because there are no cameras, so security has started to lock the bathrooms during lunch. Students are left wondering why and how they can use a restroom during lunch. Security guard Nicholas Donato said, “We lock the bathrooms during lunch because a lot of kids were getting stoned during lunch. If someone wants to use the restroom while doing lunch, the one in the art hallway is open.”

Violent issues throughout the county this school year have brought up more concerns for school safety. At Richard Montgomery,, two students entered the school and assaulted another student inside, then fled the scene immediately. One of them allegedly had a gun. The 15-year-old was found about a block away from the school. There is no information on how the students entered the school, but this is one of the main reasons the doors here are locked at all times, especially during the school day. Students in the portables must use a key card to get inside to use the restroom in the middle of class, and there are no keys for the doors, so nobody can pick the locks on the doors to get in.

Students practice “Shelter in Place” and “Lockdown” drills throughout the year. This is so students know exactly what to do if we are put into a shelter and place or lockdown. A “Shelter in Place” will be initiated for “any type of emergency where it is necessary to assemble and secure students and staff indoors for a period which might extend beyond the school day” (MCPS). Shelter-in-place procedures start off with waiting for further instructions from Montgomery County Emergency Services, MCPS, or administration., “I feel like the drills are a good refresher every once in a while. I do think if we were to have a shelter in place, we would all be prepared,” senior Prahlad Shelvapille said.

Lockdowns occur when there is an attack inside or in close proximity to the school with a weapon. Lockdown procedures include the following: “During a lockdown, staff, and students must remain within their locked classroom with a secured area. If students are in the hallways, they must quickly move to the nearest classroom or to a secure area, remain quiet, and follow staff instructions. Staff should secure their immediate area and account for students” (MCPS).
Senior Brandon Sun said, “I feel like the drills have good intentions but aren’t helpful because no one takes them seriously.”