Alabama Middle School Request Students Bring Canned Goods For Protection

A middle school principal in Valley, Alabama wants students to bring canned goods to their class for protection against intruders.

Priscella Holley, W.F. Burns Middle School principal, sent a letter home with students, asking parents to have their child bring one eight-ounce canned good. In the letter, she said she understands that, at first glance, the request is odd but believes the intruder would be caught unaware and unprepared.

Holley said canned food thrown at the intruder could stun him/her or possibly knock him out until police get to the school. It will also give students some sense of power in protecting themselves, making them feel secure in their classroom should an intruder try to come in.

The cans would be kept in the classroom, not carried by students at any point. She said the cans would be used as weapons, only as the last resort for students who were unable to evacuate.

W.F. Burns Middle School is a part of the Chambers County School System.

Kelli Hodge, Superintendent for the district said the school staff is participating in training alongside the Auburn University’s Department of Public Safety to learn how to respond to various emergencies.

According to Auburn’s Associate Director of Public Safety Chance Corbett, he referred the school to the state’s Law Enforcement Agency for active shooter training when he learned this is what the school wanted to learn.

In the event an intruder is inside the school, teachers are told to barricade classroom doors, and if the intruder breaks in, they can use textbooks and cans to protect themselves and the students.

Hodge said if someone is forcing their way into your home or place a business, you do everything you can to protect yourself. Throwing any objects that people can get their hands on is seen as a last resort, she said.

Hodge said it may appear that students would be targets for throwing canned goods at the intruder but noted that the students are already targets before this action.

She said it’s the hope that the cans will never be needed, but it’s a good idea to be prepared. If the canned goods are not used for security, the food will be given to a local food pantry when school ends.

Hodge said there have been little complaints regarding the request, even though there has been a lot of discussion on the matter.

Sources

• ALICE program arms children with cans & books to fight off classroom intruders (whnt.com)
• Alabama middle school principal tells kids to bring canned goods to class, throw them at possible gunmen (NY Daily News)