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MN moms worry about safety in schools

KARE 11's Lauren Leamanczyk sat down with a group of metro moms to talk about safety in schools and recent shootings striking fear in parents' and children's hearts.

MINNEAPOLIS - Parents today are faced with conversations that older generations didn’t have to have. Things like what to do if there is violence in your school.

School safety is the last topic we covered with our KARE 11 Mom Brigade, and it’s one of the toughest talks the moms said they've have had with their kids.

Minnesota schools have to do five lockdown drills per year. For parents, it sparks hard, but necessary, conversations.

"I know when my kids have lockdown drills at their school, it's on their weekly schedule," Sarah Siedschlag, mom from Golden Valley, said. "It's crazy and it's sad that it's the state of where we live."

Some moms said where they live can sometimes feel more dangerous than other places in Minnesota.

"I'm in an urban area, it's...like always being afraid," said Delilah Montgomery, who is from North Minneapolis. "My daughter can say I'm overbearing with it sometimes."

Other moms shared that their fear was sparked during situations their children lived through.

"I guess it happened with the first lockdown my daughter had," Teagan Drayton from St. Paul said. "There was an active shooter in the area. She came home very terrified, so then we had the big conversation that there’s bad people out there and you have to be kept safe in school and they’re doing everything to keep you safe."

Drayton said having the conversation was an eye opener.

"When bad things happen across the country, it makes us worry," Drayton said. "But experts say it can cause real anxiety in our kids too."

Siedschlag agreed that she doesn't want her children to worry, so she doesn't talk about it too much. But all the moms understand the importance of having these tough talks.

"Inevitably, we have discussions about it and all you can say is that's why it's important," Siedschlag said. "Why schools do stuff like [lockdowns] to keep you safe."

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