The Safety Doc Podcast

Should Teachers Be Armed? | High School Trap Teams | Guest Competitive Shooter Bending Ballistics

In May 2022, Wisconsin legislators Robin Vos and Kevin Nicholson conveyed that they were open to the idea of arming teachers. Wisconsin isn’t a state that embraces the practice of school staff carrying firearms, but that makes it an exception to the norm. Per usconcealedcarry.com, 32 states allow teachers and staff to “effectively protect children with concealed carry of a firearm.” What are the variables to consider when making the decision to arm school staff? When we think about guns and schools, we might overlook the growing sport of high school trap shooting. What are the benefits of high school clay target shooting teams? In Wisconsin, more than 85 high school teams feature with more than 2,000 student athletes competing in clay target leagues. This show’s guest is a long-range, pistol, and 3-gun firearms shooter who has competed on national-level circuits for 15 years and coaches youth interested in competitive shooting. Joining us from the rolling hills of Kentucky to unpack these questions is Bending Ballistics. ARMING TEACHERS. The matter of teachers carrying guns in school is multifaceted, including culture, safety, training, and liability. A popular argument supporting this position is that armed staff would be able to immediately confront an armed intruder. Most school shootings concluded in under 10 minutes, and for some schools - especially in rural areas, police might be 20 minutes away. The loudest opposition to arming educators is that arming staff sends a stark message that schools are no longer “safe” places. By arming staff, the school is implicitly expecting an armed intruder. Second, in a moment of extreme duress and confusion, it’s unrealistic for a teacher to be expected to transform into a specially trained law enforcement officer. What if a teacher shoots an innocent student by mistake? BENDING BALLISTIC’S THOUGHTS ON ARMING TEACHERS. He doesn’t think teachers should carry at school. Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) respond to an active shooter situation seeking the individual with a firearm. What happens when an LEO enters an active shooter call to a school and happens upon an armed teacher running around a hallway corner? Another consideration is a local LEO deputizing staff, which might require them to complete specific firearms training and competencies. That includes range time, classroom studies, and figuring out school policies and procedures for carrying and using a firearm in a school. Who pays for ongoing training? While Bending Ballistic feels this is an OK idea, it would also place a burden on the local LEO - which is running tight on staff and budget. BENDING BALLISTICS ATTENDED A SCHOOL WITH 4 SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND PRIVATE SECURITY. Despite that high level of overt security, Bending Ballistic noted that his school was “pretty violent.” Is adding more security personnel an answer to violence prevention and safer schools? HIGH SCHOOL CLAY TARGET LEAGUES. From wiclaytarget.com, “The USA High School Clay Target League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and is an independent provider of shooting sports as an extracurricular co-ed and adaptive activity for high schools and students in grades 6 through 12. The organization’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order. The League attracts student athletes that have earned their firearm safety certification to participate in shooting sports while creating a “virtual” competition among high school teams at no cost to the schools. Family travel costs are minimal because practice and competition are conducted at a shooting range near the school’s location. The league is also the safest sport in high school, with no reported injuries since the inception of the League in 2001. BENDING BALLISTICS COACHES YOUTH ON SHOOTING SPORTS. From teaching the safe handling of firearms to the rules and strategy of shooting sports, Bending Ballistics has observed youth increase their confidence and skills - setting and achieving goals. Some receive college scholarships. ZERO TOLERANCE SCHOOLS AND CLAY TARGET LEAGUES. Doc noted that a barrier to schools having Esports teams was that a character using a cartoonish gun or inflicting violence, as in Super Smash Brothers, violated the district’s zero tolerance policy for firearms or violence. Have clay target teams been denied due to similar interpretations of school policies? Doc shared that his school district has a trap shooting team and he doesn’t feel that it contradicts a safe school environment. IMAGES: Avatar and target provided by Bending Ballistics. Target sights #28139 by Clker-Free-Vector-Images / 29539 Free for commercial use, no attribution required Pixabay license. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 192 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 10-29-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com

What It Was Like to Present Live School Safety Specials on PBS TV | Never Do This One Thing | SDP191

Presenting on PBS TV entails luck, months of preparation, and confidence. Entrusted as a topic ambassador sets forth high expectations - not to mention standing before a live audience. I delivered two school safety presentations on PBS TV: School Safety in America: Rhetoric vs Reality (2019) and School Security and Crisis Preparedness (2013). In this episode, I will explain how I received an offer to present on PBS; show preparation; things that happen the day of the broadcast; giving the presentation - including the techy podium; rules and tips for a successful televised show; what happens immediately following the show - it’s not what you might think; what PBS does with the presentation - from close-captioning to syndication; and how people around the nation responded to me in days and even years after I was TV. HOW TO GET AN OFFER TO PRESENT ON PBS. I was a school administrator on December 14, 2012. That was the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. It was a watershed moment in school shootings due to the young age of the students. Media coverage swarmed to the community of Newtown, Connecticut, and wagged microphones at anyone who would speak. After that adrenalized day, parents and educators sought empirical guidance on school safety. There wasn’t a clearinghouse presentation - an impartial expert attempting to frame, in layman’s language, the phenomena of school security and how and why schools prepare for crisis situations - what are the ingredients to their plans and are we as powerless to interrupt disasters as was implied by the media. So, I contacted my local PBS affiliate, pitched the idea of a school safety special, and the folks in charge issued the green light. I would assemble and deliver PBS’s first school safety special. SHOW PREP. Where to begin, right? My show was scheduled for May so I had roughly 5 months to craft my presentation. I spent hundreds of hours developing outlines, PowerPoint slides, rehearsing, and having member checks evaluate my content and delivery. I also contacted parents of children killed or injured in acts of school violence. My presentation would be tight and punchy, but I had to read the room. I would not stir grieving parents. Instead, they served as member checks, to point to the line in the sand. The show wasn’t about the students, teachers or parents - but they were all wedded to the topic. DAY OF THE SHOW. I arrived 3 hours before air time. Phase one is acclimating to the studio and receiving coaching on the various knobs, screens, and lights on the massive podium. Next, I signed waivers. Then it was time for the dry run in an empty hall. Other than sound checks, I spoke softly to preserve my voice. Some last-minute adjustments to font sizes, too. About 30 minutes before the show, the doors opened and people claimed seats. I made small talk with the host and the presentation was locked from future changes. THE PRESENTATION - RULES & TIPS. Stay behind the podium and look at the real-time display embedded in the lectern to track your presentation. It was OK to periodically step left of the podium. It was never appropriate to look over your shoulder and point to the big screen in front of the audience. That might mess up the camera crew and the people at home were fed from different angles from the person in the third row. Watch the timer on the podium, colored lights up in the booth, and friends in the audience strategically placed to cue me on time markers. Hitting the allotted time was not only necessary, but going long would limit the ability for syndication. 60 minutes. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SHOW | NOT WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK! The end of the show isn’t the actual end of the show. Off camera, the presenter answers questions from the audience and this can go on for an hour or more. I even went out for an impromptu late supper with audience members! DOES PBS RERUN THE PRESENTATION? Yes. After the live presentation, PBS edits, closed-captions, and submits the show for a TV Parental Guidelines rating. The presentation is then premiered and available for syndication by affiliate networks. My shows continue to air on PBS stations - especially following a sentinel school safety event. In addition, the shows are available to view at no cost at PBS.com. RESPONSES TO MY PRESENTATIONS. People have emailed, called, and met me in person to share their thoughts about my shows. School leaders, board of education members, and school safety directors convey that the content validates their efforts toward sensible school safety. Parents share personal stories. Others inform me of their research and lines of inquiry, such as a relationship between food additives and violence. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 191 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 10-19-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com

Fitness in Chaotic Times | What Really Motivates Us | Fitness Professional Megan Usui | SDP190

What motivates people to seek and maintain fitness and wellness? How do expectations for fitness and wellness differ for younger people and older people? Do chaotic events, such as a pandemic or health scare, catapult people toward action to increase fitness and wellness? What feedback or rewards help people to stay motivated and act in ways to promote fitness and wellness? In this show, fitness professional Megan Usui helped us to understand and find answers to those questions. In addition, Megan and David time travel to March of 2020 to inform a hypothetical national fitness campaign. ABOUT MEGAN USUI. Megan Usui has worked as a fitness director, personal trainer, weight loss coach, gym designer and group fitness instructor at health clubs, weight loss and biofeedback centers in California, New York, Virginia and Washington State, including the Washington Athletic Club in downtown Seattle. WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO SEEK AND MAINTAIN FITNESS AND WELLNESS? Megan begins by asking, “How can I help you?” She also guides people to define the concept of “fit.” Most of her clients aren’t seeking to improve their time running a mile. Megan educates clients about better eating habits. What are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats? She made a color-coded food type and portion wheel for her sons. HOW DO EXPECTATIONS FOR FITNESS AND WELLNESS VARY FOR PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT AGES? Megan shares that BOOMERS want to do basic things like get down on the floor and play with their grandkids or walk up the driveway without huffing. Megan talked about “Silver Sneakers,” a program available from Medicare at no cost for adults age 65+ and honored by most gyms. GEN X wants to stay active. These are people in their 40s or early 50s and want to look better and keep up with their now-in-their-20s children. MILLENNIALS tend to plug into whatever app or fitness equipment is available to them. They buy expensive Peloton bikes and are happy to stay at home. TEENS associated fitness with ‘coolness,’ although that doesn’t seem to be true today. Megan shared that frustrated parents come to her asking for ways to get their screen-addicted kids out of their rooms. Teens are interested in their virtual presence. DO CHAOTIC EVENTS, SUCH AS A PANDEMIC OR HEALTH SCARE, CATAPULT PEOPLE TOWARD ACTION TO INCREASE FITNESS AND WELLNESS? At the onset of the pandemic, some people hid under a blanket when their gym closed. Other people bought all the fitness equipment that they could. Are we a fighter? Or, are we someone that flees? Surprisingly, chaotic events don’t motivate the populace toward fitness. WHAT FEEDBACK OR REWARDS HELP PEOPLE TO KEEP MOTIVATED AND ACT IN WAYS TO PROMOTE FITNESS AND WELLNESS? As for FitBits, wearables, and online fitness leaderboards, Megan believes those appeal to some people, but are incomplete. And, who are you accountable to? An app? So, they might get 10,000 steps a day, but are they improving their overall health? And, individual rewards mean more than a mass-produced fitness patch. FITNESS AND FORTITUDE CAMPAIGN. How might the American government introduce a civilian fitness program designed to encourage people of all ages and abilities to improve their health and fitness through formal physical exercise training and other wellness activities? What was possible in March and April of 2020? (The following excerpt is from ‘The Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times’ (2022). “We know fitness and nutrition are good for everyone, for all living creatures. Not just good for the body, but good for the mind. [T]he COVID-19 fitness research was falling into place, too. In a July 2020 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, researchers wrote, ‘The practice of physical activities strengthens the immune system, suggesting a benefit in the response to viral communicable diseases. Thus, regular practice of adequate intensity is suggested as an auxiliary tool in strengthening and preparing the immune system for COVID-19.’” Megan noted that music is a motivator in group exercises. She suggested that a contemporary national fitness campaign might be similar to the 1985 charity song “We Are the World” that was played around the globe with a message to prompt the listener to make a decision to give support and save others’ lives (famine) because in doing that, they are indirectly saving the whole human race. Recording artists, celebrities, and influencers could partner with Nike for a “Just Do It” type of song about moving and in that song, demonstrate squat, push, pull. Merely listening to the song might evoke some volitional muscle contractions! The tune could be called “The Pandemic Shuffle.” SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 190 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 10-12-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com

School ‘Swatting’ Skyrocketing in America | What Is It? | What Can Be Done to Stop It? | SDP189

The start of the 2022-2023 school year has been marred by a flurry of swatting-type threats targeting schools across the nation. A swatting threat is when someone, perhaps a thousand miles away, contacts law enforcement and makes a false report that an active shooter is on a school campus. In Minnesota, police responded to swatting reports at 14 different school districts on September 21st. In this episode, we will define swatting, identify its origins, examine the impacts on schools and communities, and measures being taken, or being considered, to reduce swatting. WHAT IS SWATTING? Per the Seattle Police Department, “Swatting is a crime. For those unfamiliar with the term, swatting is the act of creating a hoax 911 call typically involving hostages, gunfire, or other acts of extreme violence, with the goal of diverting emergency public safety resources to an unsuspecting person's residence. It is a deliberate and malicious act that creates an environment of fear and unnecessary risk, and in some cases, has led to loss of life.” Swatting is most recognizable in the online video game communities or online broadcasting. As of April, 2022, popular Youtuber Tim Pool has been swatted 8 times during his live-streamed politically-themed shows. WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF SWATTING? Swatting has been around for decades. It wasn’t particularly common and was carried out with landline phones or pay phones. But with the implementation of the 9-1-1 emergency number, advances in cellular phone, “burner phones,” and online technology, along with social media, swatting is becoming more sophisticated and happening more frequently than any time in history. “In June 2009, a blind 19-year-old hacker named Matthew Wegman was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of computer intrusion and witness intimidation. The FBI first began investigating the teen after a 2005 swatting incident in which Wegman staged a hostage hoax, sending police to the home of a woman who had refused the teen hacker’s request for phone sex” (SOURCE: Kayla Kibbe, Inside Hook, March 30, 2019.) In 2017, a fatal swatting incident occurred in Wichita, Kansas, when Shane Gaskill was shot and killed by police after exiting his swatted-upon house. The motive was revenge swatting due to a disagreement in the online video game Call of Duty. In many cases, however, it is difficult to determine who placed the swatting call.  IMPACT OF SWATTING ON SCHOOLS. Per Kenneth S. Trump, President of National School Safety and Security Services, “[School swatting] has become much more common in the past five years. These incidents not only instill fear and panic throughout school communities, they are very costly in first responder manpower, time, and taxpayer dollars. Sadly, they pull away first responder manpower resources needed for credible emergencies elsewhere in local communities (Trump, 2021)” The trauma impact of students, staff, parents, and communities is also palpable and might have lasting effects. HOW TO STOP SWATTING - REGISTRY LISTS AND LAWS. There is no clear path to a solution for swatting. For persons or locations that are frequently the target of swatting, some local law enforcement will create a registry where residents concerned about swatting can communicate those concerns to their local 911 Center. However, this doesn’t mean that the response will be delayed or carried out with lesser resources. The other route is anti-swatting legislation and stronger consequences for persons convicted of swatting. State Representative Kevin Miller (Ohio) is an author of House Bill 462, which would make “swatting” a felony. He says right now, there is nothing on the books that specifically addresses "swatting." Under the bill, if someone is convicted, the person could face prison time, as well as fines and restitution. In Colorado, a 2018 law penalizes hoax 911 calls. “If you make a swatting call, the penalties are similar to third-degree assault,” said state Sen. Jeff Bridges, a sponsor of the 2018 measure. “And the thing is, if someone is hurt in the process, that increases to a [class 4] felony. If someone is killed, It increases to a felony in the third degree.” IMAGE CREDIT. Police car image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-anke. Image 1889057 on Pixabay. Pixabay license free for commercial use and no attribution required. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 189 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 10-04-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com

Peggy The Comfort Pig | Animals in Schools | BOE Policy and ADA Considerations | SDP188

Many people with disabilities use a service animal in order to fully participate in everyday life. Dogs can be trained to perform many important tasks to assist people with disabilities, such as providing stability for a person who has difficulty walking, picking up items for a person who uses a wheelchair, preventing a child with autism from wandering away, or alerting a person who has hearing loss when someone is approaching from behind (USDOJ, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section). How do schools address service animals for students? Is it common? What if it’s a comfort animal? In this episode, we step through a fabricated case study of a student bringing a “comfort” animal to school. WHAT IS A SERVICE ANIMAL? Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is defined as a dog, or other animal, that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person's disability. It is almost a certainty that a school district has a board of education (BOE) policy about service animals. WHAT IS AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL (ESA)? An ESA is defined as an animal that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. An emotional support animal (pig, chicken, snake, sugar glider, etc.) is recognized as a reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability under the federal Fair Housing Act and may be a reasonable accommodation under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973). An ESA, also referred to as an “assistance” animal, is not a pet according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); however, no special training is required for an animal to be considered an ESA. What is necessary is that the person with an ESA has a disability and the ESA mitigates the impact of the disability. BOE policy is less consistent for ESAs. Some school districts don’t have an ESA policy. HOW DO YOU KNOW IF IT’S A SERVICE ANIMAL - PERMISSIBLE INQUIRY. In situations where it is not obvious that the dog or animal is a service animal, the individual may be asked only two specific questions: (1) is the dog/service animal a service animal required because of a disability? And if yes, (2) what work or task has the dog/service animal been trained to perform? If either response is “no”, the animal is only permitted as an emotional support animal (ESA). Requesting any documentation for the service animal, requiring that the animal demonstrate its task, or inquiring about the nature of the person's disability is not permitted. PEGGY THE COMFORT PIG CASE STUDY. You’ve just read a letter from the parents of Carol, a student transferring to your district next month from another school district in Wisconsin.  She is a student with disabilities and receives special education services. A copy of her current IEP was included with the letter. Carol has both an educational and medical diagnosis of autism and is identified as meeting Other Health Impaired (OHI) criteria by her current district due to anxiety.  She also has a comfort animal, a small pig, with her full-time at school. Per the parents’ letter, the pig helps to keep Peggy calm. Her IEP documents that since she has brought the pig to school (a year ago), she has exhibited fewer aggressive behaviors and is engaging for longer periods of time on academic work.  Her IEP states that she is permitted to have the pig with her at all times and during all school functions. The parents’ letter also notes that the current district wasn’t well-informed of the benefits of comfort animals and that the parents want to make sure that your district will fully comply with supporting the comfort pig.  The parents are asking for your school’s policy on comfort animals as they couldn’t locate one on the policy page of the district’s website. They have cited the following legal case as backing for their right of their daughter to have a comfort animal at school: In Alejandro v. Palm Beach State College, District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks ruled in favor of a student’s right to be accompanied on campus, in residence halls, and to classes by a psychiatric service dog, which was trained to respond to the onset of anxiety attacks the student experienced as a result of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The ruling stated that any potential harm or disruption caused by the presence of the service dog was minimal in comparison to the benefit experienced by the student, and, therefore, its presence was considered a reasonable accommodation. Pig image #3961588 on Pixabay free to use under Pixabay License. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 188 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 09-27-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com

I Failed My PhD Dissertation Defense | Priest Prepared Last Rites | SDP187

On May 2, 2016, I confidently marched into the Education Building at UW-Madison expecting, in a few short hours, I would be high-stepping Bascom Hill as “Dr. Perrodin.” That day didn’t go as planned. In fact, my priest was in attendance (per my invitation), and he even brought lunch and snacks for the dissertation committee members. Despite [mostly] following the pomp and circumstance protocol, the committee failed me. In this episode, I’ll explain the doctoral dissertation process and how to bounce back from an unexpected big-stage defeat. WHAT IS A DOCTORAL DISSERTATION? The dissertation is the student’s final task to obtain a doctoral degree. It’s a lengthy piece of scholarly writing that is the product of extensive original research and results in an original contribution to the field. My dissertation was 167 double-spaced pages and took me about a year to complete - beginning with a research proposal and culminating with (eventually) a successful “defense” of my work. It’s worth noting that 50% of all doctoral students never complete the dissertation. If they complete all other requirements, these folks are considered ABD (All But Dissertation). It’s something you might see on a resume, but there is no diploma for ABD. WHAT WAS MY DISSERTATION ABOUT? My dissertation’s title was ‘How Educational Administrators Prepare Schools For High-Stakes Safety Situations: A Focus On Elementary Schools In Rural and Suburban Contexts.’ I had already established myself as a national safety expert, having presented a special on PBS in 2013. I wanted my dissertation to be rigorous and add value to my worth as a school safety expert. WHAT DID I LEARN? The first thing I learned was to contact the “experts” and “sources” directly whenever possible. What I mean by that is most student-researchers have a tendency to merely cite the work of others. My dissertation included more than 100 citations. (By comparison, there are 471 citations in my (2022) book, ‘The Velocity of Information’). Beyond just citing experts, my advisor encouraged me to contact them directly and ask them specific questions about their findings. That worked, and was a pivotal moment in my budding research and writing endeavors. Whenever possible, I go directly to the source. The second thing that I learned was that people in roles that require high-stakes decision making fatigue from unrelenting high-stakes decision making. They don’t immediately bounce back.There’s degrees of elasticity in decision making recovery. One principal admitted that following a high-stakes decision about student or school safety, he was exhausted - as most decisions involved drama. He speculated that it took him a few days to return to baseline. DEFENDING THE DISSERTATION - A BIT LIKE SHARK TANK. The dissertation defense is similar to the TV show Shark Tank. You have 15-20 PowerPoint slides and up to an hour to showcase your research methods, findings, and how your work contributed to the overall scholarly knowledge base. It’s tense. Expect probing questions and challenges. My dissertation was held in a classroom with my advisor and four committee members - other professors at the University that I had invited to serve on my committee. It’s typical to invite one or two people for support. I invited my priest - and he brought a meal and snacks for the committee members! The food part is also oddly common (and expected) for a defense. That part has an awkward feel to it. Also, professors or students might sit in on the defense. I attended a few defenses prior to my own in order to learn the expectations and settle myself by watching the student referred to as “doctor” as they shook hands and walked head-held-high out of the room. WHY DID THE COMMITTEE FAIL YOU? To be clear, I was prepared and my advisor didn’t anticipate any stumbling blocks from the committee members. But, 10 minutes into my defense, a committee member shut it down. I made a critical mistake. I veered from my presentation and centered on timely, local school safety decision-making situations in order to (I thought) establish firm groundwork to justify the importance of my study. Even with that breach of protocol, my advisor was shocked, my priest prepared last rites, and I was miffed at the committee. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU FAIL? My advisor met with the committee members. I adjusted my presentation and dissertation. But, I wasn’t required to defend it a second time. The committee members signed off, and I walked the signed ‘warrant’ to the Old Main - becoming, without fanfare, Dr. Perrodin. I have zero regrets about pursuing and obtaining my PhD. I learned research methods subsequently applied in two published books. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 187 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 09-20-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com

Decision Making Up in the Air | Pilot Graham Wilson | The DECIDE model | SDP186

Guest Graham Wilson is a former Chief Flight Instructor and Pilot Examiner in Windsor, Ontario. He has worked as a machinist and served on a school board. Graham produces aviation-themed content for his ‘Superpilotish’ YouTube channel and website superpilotish.com. In this interview, Graham, a from-real-experiences storyteller, talks about decision making for pilots, including ‘The DECIDE Model’; non-punitive mistake reporting; obvious or nuanced risks pilots encounter during flying (including toilet paper in the fuel tank); and benefits and drawbacks of at-home flight simulator software for aspiring pilots. THE DECIDE MODEL. DECIDE is an acronym from flight literacy training. It is a six-step risk management loop process, similar to simulated annealing, that provides the pilot with a logical way of making decisions during atypical situations. DETECT that a change has occurred. This requires the pilot to exercise situational awareness and baseline awareness. ESTIMATE the need to counter or react. A blinking dash light might only require that it be noted for further scrutiny after landing. CHOOSE the desired outcome. This might be to return to the airport. IDENTIFY actions to control the change. Review emergency checklists, which might be “turn things off and then turn them back again,” and then communicate the problem to the airport. DO (perform) the action. The tower might ask if you want to declare an emergency. If you do, the tower will give you priority to land and might send out emergency services. As Graham reminds us, always be communicating your observations and actions to others. There is a tendency during a crisis for people to not talk while they act. Pilots are taught to describe their actions as they do or plan them, but this isn’t inherent to non-pilots facing uncertainty. EVALUATE the success of the action. NON-PUNITIVE MISTAKE REPORTING. Graham underscores that pilots applying their professional discretion to report a mistake will not encounter blowback of blame or shame. Measuring information-sharing won’t dig to the root causes. Why did the failure occur? Did a part fail? Did software fail? Is there a flaw in a larger system? Should there be more or different training? If it was a mistake by the pilot, what contributed to that mistake and what redundancies might be put in place to account for it. Focus on a better system and you’re working together. Graham adds that a pilot won’t be billed for the airport’s emergency services. Doc noted that billing for emergency services is common in America, from search and rescue to firefighting, and that some people refuse emergency care in anticipation of huge bills. DUMB DESIGN OF WWII PLANES. Cliff Kuang (2019) wrote an article for WIRED in which he described how WWII pilots were blamed for crashing their B-17 Flying Fortresses. In one instance, a confused pilot jumped into a new plane during a bombing raid to find the instruments completely re-arranged. He managed to dart around the runway until the attack was over. However, the true cause of many of the pilot-attributed crashes was actually due to the design of the plane, or “designer error.” “The reason why all those pilots were crashing when their B-17s were easing into a landing was that the flaps and landing gear controls looked exactly the same and felt exactly the same." The ingenious solution was to create a system of distinctively shaped knobs and levers that made it easy to distinguish all the controls of the plane merely by feel, so that there’s no chance of confusion even if you’re flying in the dark. And, it worked! BIGGEST RISK TO A PILOT. The top risk is running out of fuel, with adverse weather being a close second. But, using a cheaper fuel, such as an 89 octane with 10% ethanol, might be a subtle risk to a pilot. Depending upon how long the fuel has been in the tank, it might begin to absorb moisture and also congeal. This could impair the plane’s fuel system during flight. Ego is also a risk. There’s no shame in getting cleared for takeoff and then aborting the flight as you stare at a dark storm cloud beyond the runway. Flight instructors will model this practice of confident decision making. It’s the primacy effect. The first time the student sees the instructor cancel a flight due to iffy weather, for example, is something that is burned into the student’s brain. AT-HOME SIMULATOR SOFTWARE - IS IT GOOD? Graham fields these questions often from aspiring pilots. He notes that such programs fuel students' enthusiasm for flying and can help them with an early grasp of terminology and some basic operations of the plane. However, any simulators will not prepare a student to fly a plane. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 186 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 09-13-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com

Bill Would Ban Cellphones in Schools | 7 Reasons For and 7 Against Cellphones in Schools | SDP185

James David Dickson, managing editor of Michigan Capitol Confidential, wrote an article about Michigan House Bill 6171, introduced in June (2022) by Representative Gary Eisen. The proposed bill reads: “Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the board of a school district or intermediate school district or board of directors of a public school academy shall ensure that each school operated by the board or board of directors develops or adopts and implements a policy that prohibits the use of personal cellular devices by pupils enrolled in the school during the scheduled school day when the pupil is at school.“ At school” means in a classroom, elsewhere on school property, or on a school bus or other school-related vehicle.” Per Dickson, HB 6171 shows the faults of the “There Should Be A Law” mentality. Dickson wrote a compelling piece skewering the bill - and this episode will spelunk those, and other, rabbit holes for and against banning cellphones in school, with 7 reasons to not ban cellphones and 7 reasons to ban them. REASONS NOT TO BAN CELLPHONES (1) CELLPHONES ARE PART OF LEARNING. Cellphones are inseparable from learning. By 2007, educators conceded that cell phones could play an important part in learning. Universities started using text messages to reach out to students, and a survey released by Cingular Wireless indicated that parents believed text messaging helped to improve communications with children (Loveless, 2022). (2) SCHOOL SAFETY. School safety is enhanced by cell phones. Although phone-based danger reporting or incident notification apps are not nearly as effective or reliable as purported by their enthusiastic vendors, they hold much potential for the future of personal safety. If each student’s phone was viewed the same way we view smoke detectors, it would be unthinkable to remove them from our schools. (3) SINGULARITY IS INEVITABLE. Banning cellphones is an update to the 1970s argument to ban calculators. Schools are slow to infuse technology into curriculum and operating systems. Today, kids flash an electronic ticket on their phone to attend their school’s sporting event. Futurist Ray Kurzwel predicts that something known as ‘singularity’ will happen around the year 2045. Singularity is a merging of the human brain with computers and AI. It might be a form of neuralink. At that point, will school require students to disconnect their links during instructional time, to remove their slim 3D projection goggles, etc.? In 20 years, cellphones will be a relic of the past. (4) COMMUNICATIONS. Be it text, email, or call, the cellphone makes communication efficient and reliable. I remember a 1990 computer lab where logging in via modem speed and bringing up text-only email once or twice a day was considered cutting-edge mass communications. (5) NAVIGATION. GPS and navigation apps, such as What3Words and Waze, help students navigate the campus and have an enhanced comprehension of their surroundings. With the What3Words app, rescuers could respond to a 3 meter by 3 meter square area where the student - or the student could share their location as a gathering point for teammates getting off a bus for a competition. (6) IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE. Schools are operating short-staffed and enforcing cellphone violations is not a realistic expectation of time-strapped staff or administration. BOEs won’t be able to undo bad state policy. And, Policing cellphones damages school connectedness. And, what are the consequences for breaking this law? (7) PROTECTION. Cameras provide evidence, especially when deep fakes can shame or destroy a person. In 2021, an allegedly crafted fake video of Pennsylvania high school cheerleader Madi Hime vaping resulted in her being kicked off the cheerleading squad. The student’s mother contacted the police, sparking an investigation, and involvement of legal counsel. As deepfake technology becomes easier and cheaper to use, these types of “alleged” claims will overwhelm school staff and local police departments. Having the option to present recorded video might help in one’s defense. REASONS TO BAN CELLPHONES (1) OVER-RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY. Cellphones are integrated into most information-storing and retrieving aspects of our lives. Any kid attending school in the 1970s remembers that pocket calculators were prohibited in most schools. The argument against electronic calculators was that the student wouldn’t be motivated to learn the intricacies of the math equations - but rather, the sequence of formulas - which were also becoming more integrated into shortcuts in the calculators. “You won’t always have a calculator with you to figure out the slope of a tangent line,” teachers said. In 1984, I wore a scientific calculator watch on my wrist. The banning of cellphones today was the banning of personal learning technology devices (tablets, iPads) ten years ago. And while we think cell phones as learning tools in schools is a new idea, it’s important to remember that a school in Brooklyn began distributing cell phones to students way back in 2008! (2) DISTRACTION. Social media companies employ psychologists and human behavior experts in order to hone their sites to be as addictive as possible. And everyone, not just kids, spend arguably “too many” hours a day interacting with their phones. But instead of flat out banning cellphones, they could be parked during certain instructional times, or incorporated into the teaching / learning tool process. The app ‘Poll Everywhere” can be used for students to vote on a topic. It enables most students to participate and works around the groupthink of one or two students stating an answer and the rest of class falls in line with the claim. Imagine a class topic about household chemicals. Students capture photos of chemicals found in their phones. These photos are transmitted to the classroom’s online site. In the following lesson, the teacher and students discuss how to classify the chemicals - as medical supplies, detergents, fuel, discretionary, and so on. (3) BULLYING. Cyberbullying is real and is an unsavory side effect of social media. The 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice) indicates that, nationwide, about 16 percent of students in grades 9–12 experienced cyberbullying. (4) RECORDING INSTRUCTION - PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. Most schools purchase curriculum packages for hundreds of thousands of dollars and adhere to strict protocol for not sharing proprietary learning materials. This was tested during online instruction during the pandemic. In addition, would a school want students to record and post intruder drill protocols or other sensitive information? (5) DEEP FAKES. The integrity of instruction is at stake. A cellphone makes it exponentially easier for a student to create a deep fake of school staff saying something that would land them in hot water. Schools are way behind the curve with figuring out how to respond to deep fakes. Banning phones might limit the opportunities for deep fakes. (6) EQUITY. Equity was an argument against one-to-one electronic tablets or iPads for students. Only the affluent students would be able to afford the technology. And then, BOEs adopted 1:1 policies and funded devices for all students. Most students have 1:1 devices. It would be a similar BOE action to bring forth 1:1 cell phones. (7) SINGULARITY - As mentioned earlier, humans and AI will merge at some more invasive  level - and probably within the next 20 years. We’ve already achieved the first few steps of singularity with our cell phones. But with singularity comes a great push to store our knowledge ‘in the cloud.’ This is known as cognitive offloading and was written about in great detail in the book The Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times (2022). If we become out-of-balance dependent on going to our phone as the arbiter for each decision in our life, we are at risk for being unable to figure things out if the Internet fails - perhaps due to hacking, solar flare, EMP, etc. Counter this by integrating phones with real-world applications. Use the GPS on the phone for a scavenger hunt in the authentic environment of a park or school grounds. SOURCES FOR THIS BLOG POST. Loveless, B. (2022). Using Cell Phones as Learning Tools. https://www.educationcorner.com/cell-phones-learning-tools.html; Dickson, James David. (2022). Michigan bill would ban cellphones on school buses, in class. https://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/news/michigan-bill-would-ban-cell-phones-on-school-buses-in-class SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 185 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 09-06-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com

 

Lost Person Behavior Facts | 4 Ways to Make it Easier to Be Found | SDP184

Between 2004 and 2014, in the US National Parks alone, there were 46,609 individuals who became lost and required a search and rescue campaign, which cost about $51.4 million in total (Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2018 NCIC Missing Person and Unidentified Person Statistics. Tech. Rep., National Crime Information Center). What are characteristics of lost persons and who has the discretion and authority to commit agency resources to find them? ROBERT KOESTER: LOST PERSON BEHAVIOR. The scientific study of lost person cases to identify patterns specific to characteristics, such as age groups, disability, dementia, and so on began in the mid 1970s with Bill Syrotuck. In 2008, however, Robert Koester revolutionized search and rescue with his book, Lost Person Behavior - A Search and Rescue Guide on Where to Look - for Land, Air, and Water. He not only developed 41 categories of being “lost,” but coupled those to passage of time and terrain. LOST PERSON BEHAVIOR APP (It’s Not Free!). The US Dept. of Homeland Security released a Lost Person App in 2015 based on data from over 150,000 missing person cases. The app provides guidance on over 40 scenarios including lost hikers, children, and dementia patients. The app is available on Amazon for $9.95 from dbS Productions LLC.The app doesn’t require a network connection so can be used anywhere. 13 FACTS ABOUT LOST PERSON BEHAVIOR. The following 13 facts are from Karen Hume’s blog post on May 17, 2017 found at https://profoundjourney.com/13-facts-lost-person-behaviour/ (1) It is a myth that we panic when lost. Instead, most of us experience shock, disbelief, and embarrassment. (2) Many people experience an irrational belief that no one is looking for them. When that happens, they don’t call out. Some even ignore a helicopter flying overhead. (3) Hansel and Gretel may have benefited from leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, but it’s not a good sign when a lost person leaves a trail of clothing or equipment. Rather, it’s an unfortunate indicator of either late stage hypothermia or exhaustion. (4) Fifty percent of searches resolve within three hours. (5) Fifty-four per cent of people are found within two miles of the point where they were last seen. (6) Hikers tend to become lost if the trail is obscured or if there are confusing trails that intersect. Rescuers do a map and terrain analysis to determine where the confusing spots are so they can look there first. (7) Hunters become lost because they are focused on game rather than navigation or time of day. If caught after dark, the typical hunter will build a shelter and then proudly walk out of the woods, unassisted, at daybreak. (8) Despondent people typically don’t travel very far. If suicidal, they hide from search teams. Despondent people are often found at the interface between two types of terrain, such as a cliff edge, or along a shoreline. (9) Lost adults will usually stay on a trail, however they may climb a hill to get a view of the area. They rarely travel in a straight line, and rarely reverse direction. (10) Children, on the other hand, look for familiar spots rather than trails. They can’t judge either direction or distance and tend to move randomly. (11) Young people of ages 13-15 often become lost in groups of two or more. Youth in a group rarely travel very far from where they were last seen. (12) Children, ages 1-3, look for the most convenient location to lie down and are, as a result, very difficult to detect. A little bit older, ages 4-6, and one of the big problems is that they won’t answer rescuers’ calls because they’ve been taught to avoid strangers. (13) Berry pickers, nature photographers, and rock hounds are often inadequately clothed or equipped. Rescuers try to put themselves in the lost person’s shoes, asking questions such as, “Where do the best berries grow?”

HOW TO GET FOUND. (1) Stop: As soon as you realize you may be lost: stop, stay calm, stay put. (2) Think: Go over in your mind how you got to where you are. What landmarks should you be able to see? Do not move at all until you have a specific reason to take a step. (3) Observe: If you are on a trail, stay on it. Blow a whistle. (4) Plan: Inventory your options and determine if you can act to get yourself to a more favorable optimum. DO SCHOOLS TRAIN FOR LOST STUDENTS? In my experience, schools don’t conduct lost-student drills or exercises. There are accounts of students with autism, for example, wandering from schools. In February, 2022, an 8-year-old boy with autism wandered away from school and walked home alone (ClickonDetroit, 2022). Children with autism might exhibit a diminished sense of fear of traffic and environmental hazards. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 184 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 08-30-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com 

$50K Bonus for Teachers | Unpacking Educator Free Agency | SDP183

Des Moines Public Schools is offering a $50,000 incentive to teachers, nurses, and administrators who are nearing retirement to stay with the district through the 2022-2023 school year. A few states over, Michigan’s Jackson Public Schools is offering a $10,000 signing bonus for new teachers willing to stay at least two years. Unheard of five years ago, educator signing and retention bonuses are the new normal and range from $500 to several thousand dollars. But they aren’t solving Des Moines staffing issues - and the state of Georgia found little success in attempting to recruit retired teachers. Of 56,000 retirees eligible to return with incentives, less than 100 contacted the state about returning. TEACHER SHORTAGES. In 2019, the Economic Policy Institute released a report examining the magnitude of the at-the-time teacher shortage in America, as well as projections to the year 2025. In 2017-2018, it was estimated that there was a shortage of 110,000 teachers. Projecting to 2025, the shortage will swell to 200,000 teachers available to enter the classroom and the demand for new hires. WHY ARE TEACHERS LEAVING? Teachers report that they are “burned out” - citing increasing student discipline, sprawling obligations, high-stakes testing, and low pay. Note that in the World Happiness Report, people choose living in an area where someone would return their wallet over having their salary doubled. WHAT LOCATIONS ARE MOST AFFECTED? High-poverty schools and rural schools, seemingly obvious, have the greatest challenges maintaining a full staff. These locations also endure the most turnover, as teachers move to higher-paying districts or communities with more amenities. Per Universities.com, teacher shortages are reported across the US. “Nevada students started school on August 8, 2022, with a shortage of over 1400 Teachers.” California, Nevada, Washington, Arizona, and Hawaii are the top 5 states with teacher shortages. OTHER STRATEGIES TO BOOST APPEAL OF THE TEACHING OCCUPATION. Some schools are trimming the work week, although it’s uncertain how doing so will impact required minutes for student’s education, especially services for students with disabilities. “Texas’ rural school districts are implementing a 4-day school week to alleviate the Teacher shortage. Houston, Texas currently has over 2200 teaching vacancies (Unversities.com).” There has been a growing effort to make it easier for non-teachers to become certified teachers. “Florida is recruiting military Veterans to teach without a license to help the Teacher shortage and Polk County has hired 60 international Teachers Universities.com). Still, other schools are paying teachers relocation expenses. FREE-AGENCY TYPE NEGOTIATION. Teachers in highest-demand areas, such as tech-ed, chemistry, or foreign languages might receive the highest bonuses and most-tailored packages from school districts. In addition, specialists, such as speech-language pathologists, an area with chronic shortage, might be paid nearly double the salary of a classroom teacher. It hasn’t happened yet, but we are on course for a teacher or specialist to hire an agent, similar to pro sports. This is already happening for school administrator jobs, with aspiring leaders hiring an agency to stump for an interview of the candidate. RETIREMENT PACKAGES HAVE LOST APPEAL. The teaching profession is typically coupled with a robust state pension plan and even retirement payouts to be applied to healthcare. The “retire at 55 with a pension mantra for life” mantra isn't resonating with younger people who do not want to trade lower wages today for a pension 30 years from now. That generation is day-trading stocks on their Robinhood apps. On the other hand, the National Education Association argues that pensions ``successfully attract people to education as a profession, retain teachers, and provide solid retirement security.`` So perhaps what needs to happen is better “educating” teachers about the value of having a pension, but this doesn’t seem to be the appropriate set of talking points for people under 40. It’s out-of-touch to tell people who just emerged from a pandemic, civil unrest, and an economic crash (that slid into inflation and shortages) to think decades down the road. They aren’t going to do that, and the school district office’s human resources folks need to think of the teaching profession as becoming more similar to the private sector. Maybe we’ll see a “Moneyball” approach of fielding a roster year-to-year. Sure, that eviscerates legacy and institutional knowledge, but it’s the way things are - so get novel with staff induction. Some districts will figure this out. SAFETY DOC WEBSITE, BLOG & BOOKS: www.safetyphd.com. The Safety Doc Podcast is hosted & produced by David P. Perrodin, PhD. This podcast and blog post represent the opinions of David P. Perrodin and his guests to the show. This is episode 183 of The Safety Doc Podcast published on 08-20-2022.

Purchase Dr. Perrodin’s Books:

• School of Errors – Rethinking School Safety in America. www.schooloferrors.com
• Velocity of Information - Human Thinking During Chaotic Times. www.velocityofinformation.com