On Friday, May 2, there was a false code red during dismissal. The code red was accidentally triggered by “a sensor in the front office” according to an email sent out prior to the code red by Principal, Amy Hammock. Many students rushed back into the building and those who were still inside, quickly went into nearby classrooms.

“I was confused and scared at the same time cause I thought this drill was real,” said sophomore Ashley Boyd who was outside waiting for the bus at the time of the code red alarm going off.

This is not the first time McIntosh has undergone a false code red or had a false drill. In 2022, there was a false code red in December due to an accidentally pressed badge. Due to these multiple instances, students may question the security of McIntosh and the protocols.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t see any teachers [staying] calm nor [acting] effectively,” said Boyd.

The fact that students have reported that teachers did not stay calm during this situation is a serious and major issue. As students, we look towards the adults in the room for guidance on how to address a problem. The problem with adults having a moment of panic is that it could also cause students to do so as well. If everyone is panicked and scared, it could cause disorder and chaos in a situation that could end up being fatal.

A way to get rid of this panic in teachers could be by having random drills and having administrations talk with teachers and students about the importance of staying calm during a potentially deadly situation. With random drills in which teachers and students alike are not exactly prepared, it will help everyone be more exposed and ready in case of a real code red lockdown.