What would be the process to get metal detectors in MCPS schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metal detectors are better than nothing. I suspect those opposed don't have kids in MCPS. Our HS has been evacuated for multiple threats several times this year. This gives a sense of fear and kids question their safety. Why do we need to wait for an incident to get tighter with security? We've already had multiple incidents that put our kids and the staff at risk. When is enough enough?

No, metal detectors are worse than nothing.

No, they aren't. Stop making up stuff. MCPS needs more security guards, police in the school and the latest equipment to protect our kids and staff.

Wrong they don't need any of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People don’t want them, particularly if they are not part of a comprehensive security plan that doesn’t paint all kids as potential criminals. Why? Because metal deter and clear backpacks are not a new novel idea. Plenty of places have already tried this and still have incidents happen.

There aren’t metal detectors on every door entrance at colleges/universities? Neither do they exist at all private schools?

Most of the problems seen in schools start outside of school. Mental health, food insecurity, politics as a sport instead of governing, gangs, etc etc. If we dealt with societal issues instead of hiding and kicking the can down the road then what goes on in schools would be education.

I don't disagree with the larger point here that installing metal detectors only addresses the symptoms ( = carrying weapons), not the larger social problems. I also don't disagree that metal detectors are likely no deterrent and can't catch everything. But every single thing they catch is one less dangerous item in the hands of a not-fully-grown person. I _want_ there to be that one less dangerous item circulating in a school. And I'm willing to pay higher taxes to help make that happen, too.

Since metal detectors have been shown to be ineffective in schools like LA county, there's no reason to believe they would help here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if this has been discussed/voted on in recent years? Do some schools already have them? What would be the most effective ways for parents to help make this happen?

Jack Smith sent this memo to the board in 2018:
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/boe/meetings/memorandum/180926-cost-install-metal-detectors-08-30-18-05.pdf

"A recent report in the Los Angeles Unified School District found that the metal detection system was ineffective compared to other security measures and had a negative impact on school climate. This report recommended removal of the metal detection systems in that district."

This excerpt from Jack Smith's memo makes it clear that metal detectors don't solve anything and only harm the school climate.

[Anonymous]

I have kids in two McPS HS. I just think it’s pointless. They won’t be able to hire to staff them appropriately and kids will have to wake up an hour earlier to stand in security lines. We’d probably lose more kids in car accidents due to exhaustion than we save in gun violence at schools. I’d rather put the money into SROs or into having real alternatives for violent kids.

[Anonymous]

It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

MCPS needs to get rid of restorative Justice and start enforcing true consequences. Kids are smart and we need to stop treating them like infants. As we continue to lower the bar of expectations, the kids will continue to lower their expectations of themselves. This is true for academics and behavior.

We also need to put SROs back in schools full time.

[Anonymous]

I would support metal detectors if someone could clarify...

1. Our huge school has about 10 entrances and 4 are heavily used by staff and students to access parking lots, fields, and in the past, portables. Would we get multiple detectors, or would we have to walk around the entire building to use the doors with detectors?

2. Who will work the detectors all day long? Who covers their breaks?

3. When the busses start dropping off hundreds of students at once, how long will it take to process them, especially if student backpacks and jackets must be searched when the detectors go off? What if it's pouring rain?

4. Who's going to monitor every other entrance, an obvious work-around for someone with bad intentions, as students always open the door for students they recognize (or don't recognize) or to leave the building?

5. If detectors do give bad actors pause, wouldn't they shift their attention to an unprotected bus stop, a crowded bus, the dozens of students in line at the detectors, the officer running the detector before freely going into the school, or the same victims at a local McDonald's?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

Common sense gun laws would work if only the GOP wouldn't block their passge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

MCPS needs to get rid of restorative Justice and start enforcing true consequences. Kids are smart and we need to stop treating them like infants. As we continue to lower the bar of expectations, the kids will continue to lower their expectations of themselves. This is true for academics and behavior.

We also need to put SROs back in schools full time.

Wrong. Schools are doing just fine without the SROs, which have been shown to make schools less safe. RJ is also fine when used correctly. MCPS still uses detention and suspension. Blaming RJ is just right-wing PR.

If you are really concerned about guns, write your representative about passing common sense gun laws. This is the real problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

Common sense gun laws would work if only the GOP wouldn't block their passge.

+10000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have kids in two McPS HS. I just think it’s pointless. They won’t be able to hire to staff them appropriately and kids will have to wake up an hour earlier to stand in security lines. We’d probably lose more kids in car accidents due to exhaustion than we save in gun violence at schools. I’d rather put the money into SROs or into having real alternatives for violent kids.

Also have a kid in an MCPS HS.

Don’t want the metal detectors. Agree with this PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

MCPS needs to get rid of restorative Justice and start enforcing true consequences. Kids are smart and we need to stop treating them like infants. As we continue to lower the bar of expectations, the kids will continue to lower their expectations of themselves. This is true for academics and behavior.

We also need to put SROs back in schools full time.

Wrong. Schools are doing just fine without the SROs, which have been shown to make schools less safe. RJ is also fine when used correctly. MCPS still uses detention and suspension. Blaming RJ is just right-wing PR.

If you are really concerned about guns, write your representative about passing common sense gun laws. This is the real problem.

Don’t assume those of us against RJ are right wing. I’m not. Some of us have just seen it for the absolute farce that it is. I teach in a high school. The misbehaving kids openly make fun of it. The victims don’t want any part of it. Clearly it isn’t working properly. So get rid of it. You want to talk about what’s truly dangerous? A school where kids know consequences don’t really exist.

We have lowered the bar so much. It actually insult our students when we assume they can’t be held accountable for their own actions. They are smart and capable of doing well, and yet we treat them like they aren’t by lowering our expectations for behavior. I’m tired of excuses.

I don’t see the need for metal detectors, but I’m all on board for SROs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

MCPS needs to get rid of restorative Justice and start enforcing true consequences. Kids are smart and we need to stop treating them like infants. As we continue to lower the bar of expectations, the kids will continue to lower their expectations of themselves. This is true for academics and behavior.

We also need to put SROs back in schools full time.

Wrong. Schools are doing just fine without the SROs, which have been shown to make schools less safe. RJ is also fine when used correctly. MCPS still uses detention and suspension. Blaming RJ is just right-wing PR.

If you are really concerned about guns, write your representative about passing common sense gun laws. This is the real problem.

Schools are doing just fine? What planet do you live on? MCPS is a disaster, fights, drugs, guns and more. With no consequences, the downward slide is fast and furious.

RJ just re-victimizes the victim. It does not do what you think it does.

~bleeding heart liberal who is sad of what has become of our school system

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

MCPS needs to get rid of restorative Justice and start enforcing true consequences. Kids are smart and we need to stop treating them like infants. As we continue to lower the bar of expectations, the kids will continue to lower their expectations of themselves. This is true for academics and behavior.

We also need to put SROs back in schools full time.

Wrong. Schools are doing just fine without the SROs, which have been shown to make schools less safe. RJ is also fine when used correctly. MCPS still uses detention and suspension. Blaming RJ is just right-wing PR.

If you are really concerned about guns, write your representative about passing common sense gun laws. This is the real problem.

Schools are doing just fine? What planet do you live on? MCPS is a disaster, fights, drugs, guns and more. With no consequences, the downward slide is fast and furious.

RJ just re-victimizes the victim. It does not do what you think it does.

~bleeding heart liberal who is sad of what has become of our school system

Maybe if SROs could have retroactively prevented the covid pandemic, you would have a point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems the literature is pretty clear that metal detectors don't work.

Ok, so what does? That's a genuine question. I'm an MCPS parent, and not an expert on education OR security, so help me understand what MCPS should be doing to keep our kids safe from gun violence in particular, and how we can advocate for those steps instead of metal detectors.

Short of wholesale societal change in our attitudes toward guns, what can be done now?

MCPS needs to get rid of restorative Justice and start enforcing true consequences. Kids are smart and we need to stop treating them like infants. As we continue to lower the bar of expectations, the kids will continue to lower their expectations of themselves. This is true for academics and behavior.

We also need to put SROs back in schools full time.

Wrong. Schools are doing just fine without the SROs, which have been shown to make schools less safe. RJ is also fine when used correctly. MCPS still uses detention and suspension. Blaming RJ is just right-wing PR.

If you are really concerned about guns, write your representative about passing common sense gun laws. This is the real problem.

There is no way you can have kids in mcps if you think everything is ok, it’s not. We’ve had multiple bomb and other threats at our hs and is only been two months. The principal is very relaxed and kids take advantage of it.