AIBU to think parents should not turn up during school lockdown?

[Jobseeker2026]

It has been shared all over Facebook this morning that a number of schools and colleges have received a threat. Some have closed and some are in lockdown.

The majority of the comments underneath are people complaining that their kids aren’t answering their mobiles, school haven’t sent an explanation email and that they can’t get into school to take their kids home. A local school has asked parents to stop trying to gain access to the site because it is a safety risk.

AIBU to think it should be common sense to not turn up to a school that is trying to prevent an intruder gaining access and be annoyed you can’t gain access. I would be more concerned if people were freely being able to get onto the site. If the school is in lockdown the staff will also be in lockdown, the office is usually the first room you would encounter, are they really expecting the office staff to be sat in the doorway at risk composing an email rather than moving somewhere safe. If there is someone in the building, your child will be hiding along with their peers in silence. If you are ringing or texting them the phone may be making noise and putting them at risk.

If my child was in school and in lockdown I would be terrified, but I would rather be sat nearby terrified than increasing the risk. Your child will also be scared, imagine if they are dat there hiding and find out someone is trying to get in at the gate, are they going to assume it’s a parent worried or someone dangerous?

You are not wrong.

But panicking parents in fear for the life of their child will never act rationally.

There were a number of schools and colleges locked down one day last year. Pupils were all told to turn their phones off. My, autistic son was completely unconcerned. The teachers will ensure that the pupils aren’t scared or panicked. They will tell them all that there’s no danger and it’s just a precaution

a whole heap of parents turning up just gets in the bloody way and hampers the solution!

It’s dangerous behaviour more than irrational. Imagine how they would feel if they found out they helped someone dangerous in when forcing their way into the building, or helped their child be found by someone that had a weapon by repeatedly ringing them.

It's so typical of today's parents who think they know better than the institution they would ordinarily trust their child to anyway if there wasn't a named situation.

Our school has just had it's lockdown drill last week and the Comms from the school to parents are very clear. 1. don't go to the school site when it's in lockdown as it could be dangerous. 2. Calling the school during lockdown might hamper emergency contact. It's obvious really and I hope is better rational enough to follow the procedure in an emergency.

I live close enough to the school that I'd be able to see, e.g. emergency services arriving, so I'd probably be more aware than many parents of what was happening.

It does sound like schools' Comms/procedures aren't great though, I'd there hasn't been an email and info is leaking via Facebook?

It was a child text their parents by the sound of it and then the parent shared it in a local Facebook group. At that point the priority is keeping yourself and students safe, not sending emails, they will have to be sent after when the danger is gone.

I’m a teacher and when we did a drill the students were scared even though they were warned of the drill being that week. You can honestly hear everything the school is so silent, I had one corridor I had to walk down and check the doors were locked, windows covered and everyone silent, I could hear a sniff through the door. A phone ringing or vibrating would be very noticeable.