A Thief in School: A Found Poem Capturing the Impact of Lockdown Drills in Schools

Abstract

This found poem combines a notice of a lockdown drill, my reactions, and my children’s interpretations of the event. Drawing on motherscholarship, the poem expresses my concern as a mother for my children as they experience these drills and my dismay as an educator at how such drills are embedded in our culture. Three perspectives in the poem capture how a regular occurrence impacts students, schools, and communities. This work adds to conversations circulating around the culture of school security, the impact of lockdown drills on both students and families, and serves as a means of mothering activism.