High school students walked through weapon-detection systems set up in the egress, front entrance and lower cafeteria for the first time today.
The push for increased security measures began in September. Former Principal Eric Juli first implemented manual weapons detection via wanding and bag searches Sept. 18 in response to the arrest of an SHHS student who attempted to enter the Sept. 13 football game at Russell H. Rupp field while carrying a gun. Another former student was caught with a knife after turning away from the entry point, where metal detection wands were in use. Five days later, administrators disarmed a student who was wielding a knife outside the high school as dismissal neared.
Daily bag checks and wand screenings changed on Sept. 29 to random screenings that only occurred twice since that date. The most recent manual security screening took place Oct. 22.
These measures were discontinued following complaints from community members and high school staff about the system’s inefficiency, which caused students to arrive late to class.
In an Oct. 23 email, Superintendent David Glasner announced that the district would purchase a weapons-detection system and implement it by Dec. 2, when students returned from Thanksgiving break. Glasner later announced during the Dec. 10 Board of Education meeting that implementation would be delayed until Jan. 22. The district purchased OpenGate weapon-detection systems from CEIA, a manufacturer of weapon detectors and other industrial products. According to the company’s website, they have manufactured weapon detectors for more than 50 years.
After a one-day delay, during which school was cancelled due to extreme cold, detection began this morning.
Security staff instructed students to remove metal items, Yondr pouches and electronics from their bags and set them on a nearby table before walking through the detectors. If the lights on the detectors remained green, students could retrieve their items and go to the upper cafeteria to await the 8:10 a.m. dismissal to class. If detector lights flashed red, security staff searched the student’s bag to identity the source of metal before letting the student proceed if there was no cause for concern.
Items students said were flagged by the detectors included metal rings in binders, jewelry, metal water bottles, zippers and buttons on coats and backpacks, belts, watches and braces.
The lower cafeteria doors opened at 7 a.m., and the main entrance and egress doors opened at 7:40 a.m., instead of the usual 8:10 a.m. In an email sent to SHHS families Tuesday, Interim Principal Isaiah Wyatt suggested that students arrive by 7:40 a.m. to avoid long lines. The day followed an altered schedule, starting with Crew from 8:20 a.m. to 8:50 a.m., followed by shortened periods for the rest of the day.
Senior Anna Oestreich said that the early start time should be addressed. “I think it’s unfair that we have to get to school 30 minutes earlier, especially since they’re not making school start any later. What about all of the studies that have shown the benefits of us getting enough sleep?” she said.
Senior Madeline Moore said that security guards were not checking all of students’ items. “I feel like this is very disorganized. They didn’t even check the things that didn’t go through the metal detector. I don’t think this is deterring anybody,” Moore said, referring to the fact that students were instructed to place items containing metal, including binders, on a nearby table.
Nicole Hayes, assistant security supervisor, said that the process went well this morning. “We’re just hoping the kids come in, and then we ask that they take out their three-ring binder, any electronic devices, they should be OK. It’ll move faster if they take out all those things,” Hayes said.
“We didn’t find anything; nothing that shouldn’t be,” Hayes said. “We had a lot of cell phones though, that were hidden,” she said. “We had a lot of security [absent] today, and if we have everybody in attendance, it’ll go a lot faster,” she said.
Senior Elise Lozier said that the system was too sensitive. “My calculator’s not gonna hurt anybody,” Lozier said.
Senior Elise Lopez said that the detection was unpredictable. “You never know what’s gonna set it off,” she said. “Could it be the watch I’m wearing, the earrings I’m wearing? I wonder if I could even go through with a pack of Altoids, because I saw some people get stopped for that.”
Sophomore Autumn Kilpatrick had to walk through the detectors four times. “As soon as I came through the first time, they told me to go through again, so I took out more stuff – I had some hair clips and makeup products,” she said.
Sometimes, the detectors went off due to other students walking near them. “The detector went off, probably, like, four or three times before I actually got through because people kept walking back and forth,” freshman Araya Norton said.
Interim Principal Isaiah Wyatt said administrators are aware of that problem. “One thing we’ll do is create more space around the metal detectors because people had to go back and get their stuff,” he said.
In the egress, students were packed shoulder-to-shoulder as cold winds blew through the open doors. Senior London DeMarco said that he waited in the egress for 35 minutes. “Got there at 8:15, didn’t leave until 8:50. It was very cold; people shouldn’t wait outside,” DeMarco said.
In the lower cafeteria, the process moved more quickly, although the weapon detectors often went off even after students had removed all metal items from their bags. Individual bag searches took place for students who set off the detector. Students then moved to the upper cafeteria, where they waited to be released to Crew at 8:10 a.m.
The main entrance line was also shorter than the egress line, with most students being able to wait inside. However, the majority of students triggered the detectors, even after removing metal items from their bags.
Laila Warner, a junior, said she understands the need for a weapon-detection system but disapproves of the school’s method. “Considering how many weapons have been brought into our building, weapon detection does seem reasonable, but I think they could go about this better,” she said. “The rules we had before were fine; they should just enforce them better.”
Senior Zoe Stiefel said that inefficiencies undermine the purpose of detection. Said Stiefel, “The inconveniences of the system outweigh the possibility that it would detect an actual weapon.”
Wyatt said arriving at the best system will be a process. Students favored the egress entrance today, which resulted in a long wait there. Closing that entrance at 8:20 a.m. would funnel students to the lower cafeteria, where two screening units are working.
Said Wyatt, “We’re gonna keep looking at it each day and tweaking it and fixing it and doing what needs to be done.”
Journalism II reporter Carlo Dudik contributed reporting.
