Superintendent David Glasner announced during the Dec. 10 Board of Education meeting that weapons detection systems will be used at the high school starting Jan. 22.
The district purchased OPENGATE weapons detection systems from CEIA, a manufacturer of metal detectors and other industrial products. According to the company’s website, they have manufactured metal detectors for more than 50 years.
According to Jeff Grosse, assistant superintendent for business and operations, building administrators and security staff will learn how to use the detectors during a two-hour class with OPENGATE staff during a Jan. 21 professional development day.
During the meeting, Interim Principal Isaiah Wyatt shared a security update with the board. He said that he aims to familiarize students and families with the weapons detection system. “We want to host a demo night where families can come interact with the system. We also want to create some informative videos using our students to communicate to their student body,” Wyatt said.
Wyatt said that between now and Jan. 22, he plans to focus on other aspects of security. “We’re really looking at trying to hit that holistic approach right now so that our foundation is strong,” he said.
Glasner said that a holistic approach to security would strengthen cybersecurity, bullying prevention and student mental health. “Safety and security is about more than just about the hard security infrastructure,” he said. “One of the most effective security measures is a positive school environment where students have positive relationships with each other and to adults.”
High school administrators, under the leadership of former Principal Eric Juli, began screening students with metal detection wands and searching bags in September after a tip led police to arrest an SHHS student who was carrying a gun and attempting to enter the Sept. 13 football game at Russell H. Rupp Field. Another former student was caught with a knife that day after turning away from the entry point, where metal detecting wands were in use. Five days later, administrators disarmed a distressed student who was wielding a knife outside the high school as dismissal neared.
Daily bag checks and wand screening gave way Sept. 29 to random screenings that have occurred only twice since then. The most recent manual security screening took place Oct. 22.
Board member Douglas Wang said that manual security screenings between now and the installation of the OPENGATE units are not guaranteed. However, they are a possibility. “We reserve the right to do random wandings,” he said.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Louise Haffke, a parent of two high school students, said that she is concerned about the discontinuation of bag checks. “For those of us who have high schoolers who go here every day, to hear that bags are not being searched and no metal detectors are being used – I know I’m afraid,” Haffke said.
Glasner said that bag checks may be necessary, even with the OPENGATE systems. “The idea of bag searching, I know when talking with students, sometimes they found that invasive. We also have learned that weapons detection systems do often require some kind of secondary bag searches,” he said.
Grosse said that the sensitivity of OPENGATE weapon detectors can be adjusted. “Are we looking for small pocket knives, or are we looking for a firearm? Completely different settings for that, and it really changes the amount of time it takes,” Grosse said.
“There’s kind of a balancing act that we’re trying to manage,” said Glasner, “which is that the more sensitive a system is, the longer it takes for students to enter the building.”
Board member Pam Scott expressed reservations about installing weapons detection. “My hesitation with having metal detectors in our school district comes from my experience working in Cleveland and to see the faces of those kiddos coming through those detectors and having them actually express that they felt like it was prison. That’s my concern,” Scott said.
The district initially published plans to install a weapons detection system at the high school by Dec. 2. However, on Nov. 22, Glasner announced via email that this timeline was “not feasible.” Instead, two metal detectors would be used for sporting events in the North Gym and at Thornton Park.
“This pilot will provide us an opportunity to test how well the system works, what challenges it poses for students and staff, and if its use might be applicable to other schools and events,” Glasner said in the email.
Wang said that implementing weapons detection is time-consuming. “Any thought that we’re not working as hard as we can to implement this quickly as we can would be wrong. It’s just, logistically, moving 1,200 people in a very short period of time does require planning,” he said. “Rather than just setting up a bunch of things and making it up as we go, there is a lot of thought and training and expectation going into this.”
Said Scott, “Often people are asking the board and asking the district to do things. My request to the community and to parents and students and staff is that we extend some grace and some patience to the school leadership, to the district.”
