New weapons screening & medical devices

[Anonymous]

Pardon me but I'm p&ssed off that we were given exactly 0 notice that the new weapons system would be at my kids school.

How awesome it must be to not have a kid that has medical devices that can't be run through certain devices.

Seriously, though, why can't FCPS tell us BEFORE they show up that morning?

[Anonymous]

It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

What actually happened? Did the device get damaged, or did your kid request alternate screening? Or did your kid go home?

I would assume that kids with non-removable medical devices will need 504's that specify alternate screening. It seems like that process didn't happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

Exemptions are supposed to be made if you coordinate with the principal or school nurse. https://www.fcps.edu/weapons-detection-pilot-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

Exemptions are supposed to be made if you coordinate with the principal or school nurse. https://www.fcps.edu/weapons-detection-pilot-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

How can I coordinate when they tell us after the kids have been screened?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

What actually happened? Did the device get damaged, or did your kid request alternate screening? Or did your kid go home?

I would assume that kids with non-removable medical devices will need 504's that specify alternate screening. It seems like that process didn't happen.

I don't know yet - I do know that when we go through TSA we have to use special screening per the medical device company instructions. Without knowing anything about this I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

Exemptions are supposed to be made if you coordinate with the principal or school nurse. https://www.fcps.edu/weapons-detection-pilot-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

How can I coordinate when they tell us after the kids have been screened?

You were supposed to do it when the pilot was announced. It was poor communication on the school’s part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

What actually happened? Did the device get damaged, or did your kid request alternate screening? Or did your kid go home?

I would assume that kids with non-removable medical devices will need 504's that specify alternate screening. It seems like that process didn't happen.

504s were finalized minths before these metal detectors were a twinkle in the superintendents eye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

Exemptions are supposed to be made if you coordinate with the principal or school nurse. https://www.fcps.edu/weapons-detection-pilot-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

For surprise screenings, the school nurse or an admin should be in front of the metal detactors pulling those kids out of line.

The school knows who the type 1 diabetics are.

The metal detactors should also have big prominent signs warning those with medical devices to ask for assistance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

Exemptions are supposed to be made if you coordinate with the principal or school nurse. https://www.fcps.edu/weapons-detection-pilot-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

For surprise screenings, the school nurse or an admin should be in front of the metal detactors pulling those kids out of line.

The school knows who the type 1 diabetics are.

The metal detactors should also have big prominent signs warning those with medical devices to ask for assistance

I agree, burying the information in the FAQ liked in an email dump is poor communication. OP is rightfully upset. FCPS is aware there might be medical exemptions and is handling them poorly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

Exemptions are supposed to be made if you coordinate with the principal or school nurse. https://www.fcps.edu/weapons-detection-pilot-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

How can I coordinate when they tell us after the kids have been screened?

When the plan for weapons detectors was announced, there should have been communication to families to identify if their kid would need an alternative. It sounds like the school failed to do that, or at least didn't do it well. The time to start that process wouldn't have been the day of the surprise screening. It would have been when they announced the screening program.

Parents of middle school and high school aged kids should also be working with them to figure out a plan for what they should do when they encounter a weapons detector. Kids who go places alone need to know how to handle this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

What actually happened? Did the device get damaged, or did your kid request alternate screening? Or did your kid go home?

I would assume that kids with non-removable medical devices will need 504's that specify alternate screening. It seems like that process didn't happen.

504s were finalized minths before these metal detectors were a twinkle in the superintendents eye.

504's are living documents that can be created or amended at any time. When the plan for random screening began, schools should have reached out to students they knew would be impacted, and also sent out clear communication to families to identify if they needed a plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

I don't expect a heads up every time, but the first time? Yes. Give us a chance to know if you're going to damage a 10K medical device.

Exemptions are supposed to be made if you coordinate with the principal or school nurse. https://www.fcps.edu/weapons-detection-pilot-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

For surprise screenings, the school nurse or an admin should be in front of the metal detactors pulling those kids out of line.

The school knows who the type 1 diabetics are.

The metal detactors should also have big prominent signs warning those with medical devices to ask for assistance

A weapons detector won't damage an insulin pump or CGM. The risk is that it will change the programming and cause it to dose the insulin incorrectly. Obviously, this is a significant risk, but it's a risk to the wearer, not to the device itself.

One option for insulin pumps and CGM's is to detach them and reattach after screening. A bigger issue is kids with implanted devices like pacemakers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It defeats the purpose if people know about it in advance

The whole process is theater so let's not. The kids who brought something illegal to school is waiting in a long line wrapped around the building you think they are actually going to go through. STOP. this process is another fast unplanned bandaid that FCPS threw into action with little communication.