“Lockdown, lockdown, lock the door. Shut the lights off, say no more.”
In Massachusetts, a class of five-year-olds are learning this rhyme – set to the lullaby “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” – so they know what to do during a school shooting.
Parent Georgy Cohen spotted the poem taped to a classroom chalkboard at the school in the city of Somerville.
She posted a picture online, writing: “This should not be hanging in my soon-to-be-kindergartener’s classroom.”
However, she made clear that she didn’t blame the kindergarten for its approach, tweeting: “The school is doing exactly what they need to be doing, and I am glad for it. My issue is with the political & cultural factors that brought us to this sad state. Please talk to your legislators about the need for gun reform.”
The rhyme, which is written in brightly coloured pen and illustrated with cartoons, reads in full:
“Lockdown, lockdown, Lock the door
“Shut the lights off, Say no more
“Go behind the desk and hide
“Wait until it’s safe inside
“Lockdown, lockdown it’s all done
“Now it’s time to have some fun!”
Ms Cohen came across the poem while touring the school her child will attend after the summer holidays.
She told the Boston Globe she found the image “jarring”, adding: “When I was in kindergarten, we had fire drills. It was different – we didn’t have these same types of threats.”
Source: BBC news
