Fake Gun Attack on Kids: A Serious Drill or a Prank?

Today, I read an article with a title that caught my attention. It seems that in a small town in Tennessee some teachers thought it was a good idea to do a drill about a school shooting. However, the drill was not made on school premises but during a school trip. The mock attack was conducted at night. During the last night of the trip, students were told that there was a man on the loose with a gun. They were told to lie flat on the floor underneath beds and tables and to stay quiet. Lights were off and kids were in complete darkness according to the article. Kids were crying all over and apparently there was no other serious consequence.

Was this a serious attempt to teach kids on school shootings?

As I read the article I could not believe what I was reading. What kind of so called "teachers" would do things like this? Come on! This is not a regular fire drill. As a matter of fact in cases of fire or other kinds "disasters" drills, people are told that it is a fire drill, and they have already been taught what to do, what procedures to follow, etc. In the case of the fake gun attack, kids did not know anything about it, they were not prepared for the drill, and they were not taught about what procedures to follow. It seems to me that this was more of a prank game by these so called "teachers" instead of a serious attempt to instruct kids on the reality of school shootings.