Metal Detectors; Are They the Answer to Guns in Schools?

    45. That's how many school shootings there have been so far this year in the United States. Why is this number constantly increasing? Why are these massacres becoming more and more frequent? How can we prevent and reduce these incidents from happening? Schools all over the U.S. have their own way of trying stop shootings from happening at their school. Whether that be having a school resource officer on school grounds at all times, monthly "code red" drills, or making clear backpacks mandatory for students, every school has a way they think will keep their school the safest in any given situation. One of the most controversial ways to prevent of a gunman from entering school buildings is to install metal detectors in the school. Metal detectors are used everywhere, airports, hospitals, prisons, courthouses, concerts, sport games, etc. They prevent people from bringing in weapons that could harm people. So why aren't they used in school? Let's talk about it. 

    Some may say that metal detectors are a great way to insure a safe school environment. Anytime someone enters the school they will have to either go through a metal detector or be scanned with a metal detector wand. Once they are cleared, only then can they enter the building. Knowing that you must go through security before entering the school will deter people in what they bring, and decrease the amount of dangerous items being brought in. It can also ease any concerns or fears of school administrators, teachers, students and parents, knowing that no firearms or weapons are being brought into the space of learning. It gives law enforcement a chance to act if any weapon is brought into school before a disaster occurs.   

    Nevertheless, not everyone feels that metal detectors are beneficial. Metal detectors are expensive; not all school districts can afford to spend that type of money. However, if schools can afford them, it still potentially causes a lot more issues. Students and facility may feel uneasy having to go through security everyday. They might think their area and community is an unsafe and violent place, considering they have to go through metal detectors just to go to school. It could cause lots of stress to people who might be running late to school. They wouldn't be able to just walk into the building and get to class. They would have to wait in line and go through security, which can be very disruptive and a waste of their learning time. The metal detectors may also give false positives. Many students have jewelry, belts, school supplies, etc. that have metal in them. It would become a hassle to have to take out anything metal you have on or own that is metal just to ensure you don't have any weapons on you. Individuals may feel like they are going through airport security or entering a prison instead of just going to school. 

So what do you think? Should schools have metal detectors or not?     

Comments

  1. collegelifestyleSeptember 8, 2024 at 12:40 PM

    I wrote about the same topic. Gun violence is such a growing concern in the United States right now. I think in a perfect world, mental detectors would be wonderful but I don't think they are very practical. I went to a huge high school with over 1,000 students attending, I don't see a way time would allow for this. As well, schools are already on tight budgets, majority of schools would not be able to afford such a costly expense and upkeep.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BloggerFrom2005September 8, 2024 at 8:32 PM

    I agree with metal detectors being a great addition for school safety, but there is just no way of preventing it completely, this is only because of how easy it is to get a firearm in the United States. Instead of preventing guns in schools we should prevent guns ever being in the hands of kids.

    ReplyDelete

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