The Indicator from Planet Money

Inside the growing industry to defend schools from mass shootings

October 15, 2025

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  • A multi-billion dollar industry has emerged to sell schools various products, from bulletproof whiteboards to drone defense systems, in response to the recurring tragedy of school shootings. 
  • Despite the rapid growth of the school shooting industry (projected to reach nearly $6 billion by 2027), there is a significant lack of comprehensive data proving the effectiveness of most security products being sold. 
  • The decision-making process for purchasing school security often falls under 'maximizing outcomes' rather than 'optimizing outcomes' due to fear, leading schools to invest heavily in physical hardening measures rather than proven preventative strategies like mental health support, which receives less funding. 

Segments

Columbine as Turning Point
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(00:00:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The Columbine High School shooting in 1999 is widely viewed by many Americans as the start of a dark era marked by subsequent mass shootings.
  • Summary: The reporter references the 1999 Columbine shooting, noting that 15 people were killed and 20 others were shot and survived. Since Columbine, there have been over 400 school shootings, leading to a familiar, cyclical pattern of reaction without significant change. This recurring violence has spurred the growth of a new industry.
Emergence of School Defense Industry
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(00:01:28)
  • Key Takeaway: A multi-billion dollar industry has emerged selling schools various products, including drones and body armor, to deter or protect against mass shooters.
  • Summary: From this cycle of violence, a multi-billion dollar industry has developed, offering schools numerous products like panic buttons, facial recognition, and mobile bulletproof whiteboards. This industry is booming, with projections showing its value increasing significantly by 2027. The episode of The Indicator from Planet Money aims to examine what is being sold and the psychology behind this growth.
Expo Hall of Security Products
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(00:03:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Security conferences for school resource officers feature extensive expos showcasing high-tech and physical deterrents, such as bulletproof whiteboards and armed drones.
  • Summary: The reporter visited a conference for the National Association of School Resource Officers, which included an expo hall filled with security items like trauma kits, metal detectors, and guns. One vendor demonstrated a bulletproof mobile whiteboard designed to be discreet while offering shelter, and another showcased drones capable of deploying sirens and non-lethal projectiles against a shooter.
Industry Value and Efficacy Questions
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(00:04:57)
  • Key Takeaway: The school shooting industry is valued at approximately $4 billion, yet there is no comprehensive data confirming the effectiveness of the majority of products being purchased.
  • Summary: The school shooting industry is currently worth about $4 billion and is expected to grow to nearly $6 billion by 2027. A major issue is the lack of data on which safety products actually work, as purchases are decentralized among local districts and police departments. Studying prevention is inherently difficult because it requires analyzing events that did not occur.
Prevention vs. Hardening Strategies
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(00:05:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Research suggests that strengthening mental health care and ensuring gun security are more effective preventative measures than ‘hardening’ buildings with physical security measures.
  • Summary: Experts note that school shooters are typically students in crisis who access unsecured guns from family or friends. While $12 billion is spent annually on school security guards, this is about a billion more than is spent on school counselors. Hardening buildings has been attempted for 25 years post-Columbine without proven effectiveness, according to researcher Jillian Peterson.
Psychology of Security Spending
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(00:07:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Fear drives school security purchasing decisions, causing stakeholders to prioritize maximizing safety investments regardless of cost-effectiveness, fitting a uniquely American tendency to monetize issues.
  • Summary: Fear creates powerful ‘what-if’ scenarios that influence decision-making, pushing stakeholders to spend whatever it takes to protect human life, which is categorized as maximizing outcomes rather than optimizing within a budget. Because large-scale gun control is unlikely soon, the American response defaults to trying to buy safety, which can sometimes disincentivize addressing the root problem.