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Expert: Parents trying to protect kids at school might endanger others

Posted at 6:26 AM, Feb 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-21 06:27:05-05

Some parents are doing whatever they can to give their kids even just a little more protection in case the worst were to happen while they're at school.

After 17 people were killed by a shooter in Florida, Don Casey gave his son at Jackson Memorial Middle School in Massillon a piece of body armor, just in case.

"I repainted this ShotStop," said Casey. "So they gave us this body armor so I put it in my son's book bag."

RELATED: Bulletproof backpacks the reality for students in 2018 America

A Connecticut aunt went viral on Facebook when she posted about giving her nieces a door stop so they could barricade a door if they ever needed to.

School security expert Ken Trump says a parent's desire to protect their child is understandable, but if the school doesn't know about it, it could also be dangerous.

"We need to make sure the adults are well prepared and that the kids are prepared to follow the lead of the adults," said Trump.

He says the first priority should be to locking down and staying quiet. A student rummaging through a backpack to get a door stop could draw attention from the threat they're trying to hide from.

"When you have individual actors who are taking well-intended steps that the whole school crisis team doesn't know about, it could create unintended consequences and unintentional harm," said Trump.

He says concerned parents should talk to school administrators to understand the Crisis Plan and if they have suggestions, talk them out with the people in charge.