This year, the school has introduced new metal detectors at each main entrance, designed to detect weapons being brought into the school. While students are used to the metal detectors, as they have been part of the school’s safety procedures for years now, the new metal detectors operate a little differently from their counterparts. While these new detectors are helpful for the school, I believe that they were not particularly needed.
When students arrive at the different entrances, instead of immediately being searched, they will simply remove their chromebook from the case and walk through the detectors. If the device beeps as the student is walking through, their belongings will be searched and staff will wand the student before they can continue to their homerooms.
While the installation of these metal detectors may make students feel safer, deeper issues that lead to violence in schools, such as bullying, mental health struggles and a lack of support can cause an even bigger bump in the road for schools and students alike.
It’s easy to understand why the school has decided to implement these new detectors, as there have been multiple instances where the safety of the school and its students have been threatened. Knowing that these extra security measures are in place can help bring a sense of comfort to students and parents alike.
However, this new sense of safety does not come without trade-offs. Many students initially noticed that the line to enter the building in the morning was an even longer wait than usual. As the staff have now gotten the hang of the detectors and how they work, it can still be difficult to determine which students are going against these safety measures.
Almost every morning as I walk through these detectors, they go off and I am then searched and wanded. Even though these new detectors only detect a certain kind of metal, it seems to be the same metal in my school binder. These types of small issues can make it hard to effectively resolve the issue of students bringing contraband onto school property using these metal detectors.
On one hand, safety is a real and serious concern. Schools across the country, including our own, have faced rising threats, from fights to weapons on campus. It’s understandable that administrators want to prevent tragedy before it happens. Parents and students may feel reassured knowing there’s an extra layer of protection.
It can feel stressful and even upsetting for students with no contraband, such as myself, that set the device off daily and must take the extra time to be searched and wanded by the staff. This can cause an extra sense of stress each morning, and can even come off to some as invasive and unfair. I believe that staff and students should be mindful of this and try their best to find a solution to this issue.
So, while the presence of the new metal detectors have helped the line go down in the morning, and a lesser need for teachers to take their time searching and wanding students, it is important to acknowledge that safety does not just consist of the absence of danger in our community, but the presence of care as well.
