John Adams Academy, a public charter school under construction in Douglas County, Colorado, is slated to become the first in the state to deploy a drone system designed to confront active shooters. The school, which is set to open in August, plans to install the technology developed by Texas-based firm Campus Guardian Angel. The remotely operated drones can be launched within seconds of an active shooter alert and are equipped to livestream footage to police and deploy pepper gel to impede a gunman before law enforcement arrives.
According to Campus Guardian Angel, the drones can also fly at and pummel attackers. The system consists of drones housed in charging stations within the school, ready for immediate deployment. Trained operators, located hundreds of miles away at the company's command center in Texas, would control the drones. School head Sarah Kiesewetter stated that the drones are part of a "multi-tiered approach" intended to expedite emergency responses and furnish officers with critical intelligence.
Despite assurances from the academy, the plan has ignited strong opposition from parents who question the technology's safety and ethical implications. "What about a drone spewing these pellets and hurting a kid?" asked concerned parent Jennifer Iversen. Critics argue that the system represents an untested experiment that could introduce chaos and endanger students. The potential for the drones to malfunction or interfere with law enforcement operations is a significant concern for local residents.
"The potential for that to go wrong is so high," said local resident Julie Ort. "The idea that somebody in Austin is going to be the first responder to a school shooting, and doesn’t have the awareness of what happens if we need to call this off… what happens if those drones are actually interfering with our law enforcement?" Ort added, "School security is really important, and we shouldn’t be using our kids as test sites."
Compounding these fears is the revelation that the system has not been tested in a real school shooting. While Campus Guardian Angel reports that its drones are installed in approximately 10 schools in the southern United States, none of these facilities have experienced an active shooter incident since the technology's implementation. This lack of real-world data leaves critics concerned that schools are becoming testing grounds for experimental security measures.
John Adams Academy, a public charter school under construction in Sterling Ranch, Douglas County, plans to install the system before welcoming its first students this August.
The rollout follows a discussion by county commissioners regarding a $200,000 proposal to enhance security, which was ultimately removed from the agenda after questions arose about potentially reallocating funds to a dedicated school resource officer. Despite this financial hurdle, the academy's founder has confirmed that the drone system will proceed, as the school can independently fund its installation.
