Metal Detectors at McLean High Only Active Before School Starts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gatehouse knew this exact issue would happen, because it already happened at the pilot schools last year.

It was identified early as a major flaw, was raised repeatedly in feedback from administrators and staff, and was openly discussed. The concern was that once the morning rush was over, the mags were turned off—creating an obvious gap that undermined the whole purpose of the system.

Rather than addressing the problem, Gatehouse dismissed the concerns. They ignored the experience of the schools that lived through the pilot and instead pushed a county-wide rollout with the same flaw baked in. The end result is that the system creates the appearance of security at the start of the day, but does not actually provide continuous protection.

If there are no plans to keep the mags active throughout the school day, FCPS needs to be transparent about that decision. Parents, students, and staff deserve honesty about what these devices actually do—and what they don’t. Otherwise, it leaves the impression that the county is more concerned with optics than with real safety.

Did you actually expect different? Have you paid attention to anything FCPS has done in the last 5 years? Has it ever been about anything but optics?

[Anonymous]

I can't help but wonder WTF is going on in the DC Metro area-are we under some undisclosed threat? We have Dr. Reid needing 24-7 security with masked guards, the national guard roaming DC and now this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't help but wonder WTF is going on in the DC Metro area-are we under some undisclosed threat? We have Dr. Reid needing 24-7 security with masked guards, the national guard roaming DC and now this.

It feels more like everyone accusing those with whom they disagree politically of not just holding different views but posing a threat to their physical safety. Political theatre, in other words.

Otherwise it wouldn't be so transparently performative and inefficient as actual security measures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't help but wonder WTF is going on in the DC Metro area-are we under some undisclosed threat? We have Dr. Reid needing 24-7 security with masked guards, the national guard roaming DC and now this.

No just Reid’s paranoia. With detectors at every place she will visit, no need to demonstrate paranoia by taking metal detectors with her when she goes to visit schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do all HS have the security person that sits in front hall and marks people in and out on computer during day? Wouldn’t it have been easier to have hired 1 police person to sit with them for each HS than the 20-minutes a morning weapons check machines?

At my teen’s high school (not McLean) security is there all day, up through dismissal, and there is no point in the day when anyone can come in without going through the metal detector.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do all HS have the security person that sits in front hall and marks people in and out on computer during day? Wouldn’t it have been easier to have hired 1 police person to sit with them for each HS than the 20-minutes a morning weapons check machines?

At my teen’s high school (not McLean) security is there all day, up through dismissal, and there is no point in the day when anyone can come in without going through the metal detector.

At my child's school there are trailers. Students who leave the main building for a mid day trailer class do not re-enter through security. Students who enter through the front doors mid day do, but those who go in/out the back door for trailer classes do not. It is probably ~400 kids per period.

It's a joke.

[Anonymous]

My child reports no long lines at their approx. 2000 student high school. It's been going well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do all HS have the security person that sits in front hall and marks people in and out on computer during day? Wouldn’t it have been easier to have hired 1 police person to sit with them for each HS than the 20-minutes a morning weapons check machines?

At my teen’s high school (not McLean) security is there all day, up through dismissal, and there is no point in the day when anyone can come in without going through the metal detector.

At my child's school there are trailers. Students who leave the main building for a mid day trailer class do not re-enter through security. Students who enter through the front doors mid day do, but those who go in/out the back door for trailer classes do not. It is probably ~400 kids per period.

It's a joke.

Could they enter back through one or two doors? What is the reason it isn't up?

[Anonymous]

I am so thankful for the metal detectors but completely understand the importance of having them working all day. FCPS should fix whatever remaining problems they have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because schools have always been designed and built with the assumption that guns wouldn't be such a problem.

Buildings would need to be completely re-imagined to avoid security checkpoint bottlenecks for enhanced metal detecting to be implemented 24/7. Not to mention portable use would have to be entirely done away with.

Sigh. We need a crackdown on guns so badly in this country. And then we wouldn't need to worry as much about crazies shooting up schools.

Guns in school aren't a problem. And if they were, this isn't the solution.

https://k12ssdb.org/all-shootings

Hey, thanks for proving my point! The vast majority of shootings are not IN the school, they are outside the school. The detectors do nothing to stop shootings outside the school and create even bigger targets for shootings.

Great points. Now if only FCPS was listening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child reports no long lines at their approx. 2000 student high school. It's been going well.

Which specific school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do all HS have the security person that sits in front hall and marks people in and out on computer during day? Wouldn’t it have been easier to have hired 1 police person to sit with them for each HS than the 20-minutes a morning weapons check machines?

At my teen’s high school (not McLean) security is there all day, up through dismissal, and there is no point in the day when anyone can come in without going through the metal detector.

At my child's school there are trailers. Students who leave the main building for a mid day trailer class do not re-enter through security. Students who enter through the front doors mid day do, but those who go in/out the back door for trailer classes do not. It is probably ~400 kids per period.

It's a joke.

Could they enter back through one or two doors? What is the reason it isn't up?

The reality of 400 kids walking all the way around the building to the front door, lining up to go back through metal detectors, and getting to class on time is laughable. It's 5 minutes just to walk to the front entrance from the back trailers, let alone get inside, let alone walk to the other side of the building where the classrooms are. That's a 15 minute procedure in the span of a passing period.

They could institute another metal detector at the back doors I suppose, but then that's double the staff to run it.