Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The F4 tornado that struck Henryville High School in Southern Indiana has generated  a brisk discussion on how they responded.  Fox News posted an excellent article framing the discussion HERE.

If a storm is coming, should the kids stay, or should they go?  It's a tough call.  If they stay, they are bunched together, but they are in your sphere of control.  If they go, they are out of your control, but you may still have liability for them.  The end result in Henryville was that no one got hurt, and I will not attempt to diminish that result.

When I first heard this story, I remember thinking, "Wow!  That was a gutsy call!"  I found myself wondering if that should be examined as a viable alternative in a storm.  My short answer is yes, with a caveat.  Too often in education, a horrendous event will cause people to jump on a bandwagon.  Look at the numerous theories on Active Shooter response that came out after the Chardon HS shooting.

I spoke with Dave Emmert, Chief Counsel for the Indiana School Boards Association about liability.  Dr, Emmert was, as is usual, very passionate in his discussion with me.  Regardless of the choice a school makes, six members of a jury are going to judge your actions on a 'reasonableness' basis.  The facts in each case will guide the individual findings.  But, as we often say in emergency management, the time to think about the disaster is before it occurs.

Was it reasonable to release the children early?  Sitting here in the comfort in my home, I can easily answer either yes or no, and feel myself right.  The truth is, I am glad I wasn't in that position.  However, I may be, someday, just as I was in 2002 when an F3 tornado in Indiana hit the middle school behind us and came within 50 yards of my elementary school.  So what is there to consider?

175mph winds of an F4 tornado don't have many things that will provide shelter.  The damage done to the high school in Henryville is proof enough.  But how much more protection does it offer than a school bus?  Several buses were caught out in the storm.  Intrepid drivers got their kids into safe areas.  One bus returned to the school in just enough time to get the students into the school.  They were safe.  The bus was stripped off of its frame and thrown into a nearby restaurant.

Schools typically are responsible for the students until the time they are safely off of the bus.  How long does it take your buses to get everyone home?  Will there be someone at home waiting?  What are the ages of the students you are sending home?  Are drivers properly prepared to respond if they are caught out in the open?  Do you have a means of alerting parents that their children are coming home early?

Should they stay or should they go?  Let's have that discussion now, while the weather is calm.