That's Not What Happened

That’s Not What Happened was published in August 2018. In 2018, a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida resulted in 17 deaths and 17 injuries. US schools are impacted by gun violence at escalating rates; Education Week tracked 202 events with at least one death or injury between 2018 and June 2024. The extent to which a school shooting is covered in the media often depends on its location and the number of people affected, so statistics such as those detailed by the Education Week tracker or The Washington Post’s tracker may be surprising.

While political debate surrounds the issue of gun reform in the US, gun violence in schools has prompted educational organizations to address security standards over the last several decades. For many schools, improving their security features involves updates to the building’s structure, such as modified entryways and additional cameras. Schools also consider the safety of their daily procedural methods, such as visitor management systems. When budgeting allows, some schools may incorporate additional school resource officers or other security personnel to maintain a presence in the building. Such safeguards are commonplace today, but just 30 years ago, few schools had security features because gun violence occurred infrequently in schools.

Many schools now take measures to prepare their teachers, staff, and students for potential shootings. For example, administrators may conduct teacher training on classroom-barricade strategies and student drills for active-shooter situations. Students may also practice lockdown procedures. Additionally, outside organizations attempt to offer guidance to school officials regarding potential response strategies, crisis-management coordination, and implementation of school-safety plans. Examples include the NEA’s Gun Violence Prevention and Response Guide and ALICE training for K-12.

The shooting in That’s Not What Happened involves a student firing a gun at students and teachers in the high school during the school day, killing nine victims before shooting himself. The text explores how assumptions, stereotypes, and biases play a role in shaping the narrative of the shooting, directly impacting the aftereffects. It also explores the media’s problematic treatment of the shooting, as well as the conspiracy theorists who insist the event was faked using “crisis actors,” paralleling real-world reactions to gun violence at US schools.

Regarding drills, training, or other preparatory safeguards in the novel, students and teachers have no time for lockdowns or barricades; most characters mention being surprised or confused by the gun’s noise. One character, though, says she recognized the popping sounds of the weapon immediately, claiming she “almost expected it” (318), then references her familiarity with lockdown drills since elementary school.