Principled Safety® for K–12: A Scenario-Driven Guide to Prevent Harm in School Shootings

We can prevent casualties in school shootings—if we change how we plan for school safety. With the right system, harm in school shooting scenarios may be prevented. This field guide adapts proven high-reliability practices to K–12 security, giving school administration a consistent, equitable way to secure schools.

Instead of focusing emergency preparedness on past shootings, John Menna—a veteran in safety engineering—presents the forward-looking Principled Safety® method, replacing guesswork and piecemeal “best practices” with a scenario-based planning system that increases student safety, not just those behind a locked classroom door.

Stop reacting after school shooting violence and instead learn to analyze credible threats, design layers of protective measures, and verify performances so protective measures work under pressure. Short, visual, and practical, the book gives school administrators, boards, facility planners, parents, policy makers, and districts a consistent level of protection across every school in the system.

If you’re responsible for school safety—or advocating for it—this book gives you a plan to invest wisely, document decisions, and protect every student, teacher, and staff member. Before the Next Tragedy is a disciplined, system-level approach with an emphasis on an equita