Last week, Cheyenne East High School was put on lockdown due to reports of a possible criminal with a weapon in the area. This incident triggered intense discussions among students, parents, and staff about the ever-present concerns over school safety, echoing similar issues seen at schools across the nation.

A similar event occurred just last month in Winder, Georgia, where a 14-year-old student tragically took the lives of two fellow students and two teachers. The aftermath of that event reverberated throughout the country, leading to heightened anxiety in communities like ours. In the Atlanta Public Schools district, parents received a flood of automated calls and messages alerting them to threats of potential violence. For many, this led to a difficult choice: whether to send their children to school or keep them home.

Parents at Cheyenne East likely experienced a similar struggle. In the face of threats or potential danger, the mental calculus parents must perform – weighing safety and education – is a reality of modern school life. One parent in the Atlanta area shared with CNN how they discussed the risks and lockdown drills with their child, trying to provide reassurance without downplaying the severity of the threat.

Here in Cheyenne, this same balancing act took place as school officials and law enforcement agencies acted swiftly to ensure the safety of students and staff. Local law enforcement, including the Cheyenne Police Department, reassigned officers to increase patrols around the school and worked with school authorities to address any perceived threats. Thankfully, no acts of violence occurred during the lockdown at Cheyenne East, but the emotional toll lingers for many students and families.

Nationally, the conversation about school safety continues to grow. Following incidents like the one in Winder and countless others, federal agencies such as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have released resources like the “Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools.” This toolkit aims to help schools develop strategies to manage and respond to anonymous threats of violence, a problem that continues to plague educational institutions across the country.

For parents, students, and educators at Cheyenne East, the recent lockdown serves as a reminder of the complex and often frightening world students navigate today. While no one should have to question their safety when walking into a classroom, the reality is that lockdown drills and security alerts have become a regular part of school life. As the community reflects on the events of last week, the focus must remain on creating an environment where learning can thrive, free from fear.