Laurel County Superintendent explains metal detector decision

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- A letter today from the Laurel County Schools’ superintendent says the district is saying no to a metal detector donation, for now.

He says detectors could be an option for the future, but first, the district must make sure they won’t do harm.

That letter came after a protest Wednesday morning outside the Board of Education.

“Let’s keep our schools safe,” protesters chanted.

Protesters say they want the funds pledged for metal detectors used for school safety in some effective way.

Between the end of last week and beginning of this one, a Corbin attorney pledged money and started a fundraising effort to buy detectors for Whitley, Knox, and Laurel schools.

In the Superintendent’s letter to parents he says there are several issues to work out before getting detectors. He says, for example, it could take hours to properly get students though detectors, meaning they’ll be grouped together outside, forming an easy target. He also says there’s no staff or plan in place, which metal detectors require.

Superintendent Doug Bennett instead asks donations be spent on more school resource officers.

Some parents say it was comforting to hear his reasoning, but they still think many of those problems are easily fixed.

“Those are all valid points, but at the same time I’d want him to know my husband and I don’t have room in our budget to bury a child,” Jannessa Patterson said.

Patterson says many people in the district are thinking of homeschooling. She says her family has told her maybe she should consider it too.