“Just for a Second” Is All It Takes

A door propped open for a delivery.

A staff member stepping outside to retrieve something.

A quick trip to the parking lot.

An after hours activity where people are moving in and out of the building.

In each situation, the door may only be left unsecured “for a second.” But when it comes to school security, that brief moment matters.

An exterior door is either secure, or it is not.

The Risk Often Feels Temporary

Most doors are not intentionally propped open for long periods of time. They are usually held open because someone believes the situation is controlled.

They may be standing nearby. They may plan to return immediately. They may assume no one else is around.

The problem is that security cannot depend on how long someone expects the door to remain open.

A few seconds can be enough time for someone to enter unnoticed. It can also create uncertainty about who has accessed the building and whether the door was properly secured afterward.

Familiar Routines Can Lower Awareness

Staff members move through the same entrances every day. Over time, normal routines can make small security decisions feel harmless.

A cone, trash can, rock, or other object may be used to keep a door open temporarily. Someone may ask another employee to “leave it open for me.” A door may appear closed but fail to latch completely.

None of these actions may feel serious in the moment. However, each one creates a gap in the building’s security.

The purpose of a locked exterior door is to control access. Once that door is propped, the access control system is no longer doing its job.

Convenience Cannot Replace Control

There are legitimate reasons for staff members, vendors, contractors, and activity groups to enter and exit a school building.

The answer is not to make those activities difficult. The answer is to manage them safely.

Schools should use designated entrances, approved access procedures, staff supervision, electronic access systems, or another method established by school leadership.

What should not become an accepted solution is leaving an exterior door unsecured for convenience.

After Hours Still Matters

The words “after hours” can sometimes create a false sense that building security is less important.

In reality, schools often remain active long after dismissal. Athletic practices, club meetings, parent events, maintenance work, deliveries, and community programs may all take place in the evening.

Fewer people in the building can also mean fewer people are available to notice an unfamiliar person or an unsecured entrance.

Exterior doors should remain secured unless they are actively controlled and supervised as part of an approved procedure.

Build the Habit of Checking

Strong security habits are usually simple:

Close the door completely.

Confirm that it latched.

Never use an object to prop it open.

Report doors that do not lock or close correctly.

Address an unsecured door immediately rather than assuming someone else will handle it.

These actions take only a few seconds, but they help protect the entire school community.

Consistency Builds the Culture

School safety is not strengthened only through major drills, emergency plans, or annual training.

It is also strengthened through the everyday choices staff members make at doors, entrances, hallways, and other access points.

A reminder about propped exterior doors may seem basic. That is exactly why it is important. Familiar safety practices are often the ones most likely to be overlooked.

“Just for a second” may sound harmless.

But doors are either secure, or they are not.

One minute. One topic. Every week.

SafeSchools Minute™ is a guided weekly school safety program that helps school leaders keep practical safety expectations visible throughout the year without adding more meetings or training.

Learn more at SafeSchoolsMinute.org