MCPS suggests additional safety measures for schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metal detectors are a waste of time and money.

Our HS requires IDs, which sounds great, but what happens if a kid doesn’t have one? Spoiler alert - nobody notices! My kid has forgotten hers multiple times and it is a complete non-issue.

Our school has over 2000 kids. Impossible to check IDs as they all enter and then also ensure that they have their ID on them at all times.

I don’t like metal detectors but they work pretty well. I used to work for a school district that used them and security guards made every single person go through them. There were lines in the morning and kids had to arrive a little earlier to school but they do work

The technology has evolved beyond the old school metal detectors. They have weapons detectors and they don't require kids to get in a single file line.

[Anonymous]

Interesting. When I attended MCPS middle and high school in the early 2000s, we were required to wear IDs upon entering the building. And they took it very seriously. Hearing security guards and teachers scream “ID! Put on your ID!” before school and in between classes was super common. If you lost the ID, it was $7 to replace! Did they do away with them at some point?

It really wasn’t a big deal— other than losing it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. When I attended MCPS middle and high school in the early 2000s, we were required to wear IDs upon entering the building. And they took it very seriously. Hearing security guards and teachers scream “ID! Put on your ID!” before school and in between classes was super common. If you lost the ID, it was $7 to replace! Did they do away with them at some point?

It really wasn’t a big deal— other than losing it!

Also, we had to wear them around our neck, so it was really obvious if someone wasn’t wearing one, even in the massive MCPS high school I went to. So I don’t think this is a bad thing at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. When I attended MCPS middle and high school in the early 2000s, we were required to wear IDs upon entering the building. And they took it very seriously. Hearing security guards and teachers scream “ID! Put on your ID!” before school and in between classes was super common. If you lost the ID, it was $7 to replace! Did they do away with them at some point?

It really wasn’t a big deal— other than losing it!

MCPS would get flamed for being inequitable in this political climate for charging kids for replacing lost student IDs. They're getting pushback right now on asking families to pay for summer school.

[Anonymous]

What BOE candidates running in 2024 have addressed safety measures needed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What BOE candidates running in 2024 have addressed safety measures needed?

Several of them are talking about restoring SROs, but they don't seem to realize that the BOE can't do that. SROs were employed by the police department, and Elrich and the county council removed them.

[Anonymous]

What's the latest with MCPS's plan for safety measures?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is heartening, on an initial read.

https://moco360.media/2024/04/10/mcps-considers-adding-vape-weapons-detection-systems-mandatory-ids-to-improve-school-safety/

Oh look, did it help prevent any lockdowns in the month of February?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What BOE candidates running in 2024 have addressed safety measures needed?

Several of them are talking about restoring SROs, but they don't seem to realize that the BOE can't do that. SROs were employed by the police department, and Elrich and the county council removed them.

Have those BOE members done anything to try to bring SROs, or did the candidates supporting for return of SROs not win?