REACTION: School district approves fixed metal detectors

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Fayette County Board of Education has approved fixed metal detectors inside schools, starting with Frederick Douglass High School.

This comes after recent incidents at three Fayette County schools involving guns.

Schools will also do random searches with metal detector wands.

Jon Akers, Executive Director at the Kentucky Center for School Safety, and a former high school principal in Lexington, says he applauds the district for trying to do somethign, but says metal detectors aren’t fool-proof.

“I want the public to hear this,” said Akers. “It’s not as effective as you think it is. because of the multiple doors and how open the schools stay trying to address the community activities that go on in the school from 630 in the morning to almost 11 o’clock at night Monday through Friday.”

Akers says it’s also important that parents monitor their kids, saying school safety has to start at home.

Students at Henry Clay High School aren’t getting fixed metal detectors just yet, but they’re already on their minds. Henry Clay is one of the three schools that recently had the incidents involving guns.

Most students say they think the detectors are a good idea, but some are still concerned metal detectors won’t be truly effective. They say their school, specifically, has at least five different entrances that people use in the mornings.

Students think the implementation of random searches using the metal detector wands make more sense, and is a better idea than fixed metal detectors, because it won’t take as long.

Time, they say, is something they think they’ll lose with fixed metal detectors at the door.

“It’s kind of ridiculous because, I mean, school starts at 8:25,” said one Henry Clay student. “By the time you metal detect 2000 plus students, school’s not going to be starting until at least 9:25, so although it’s a good idea in theory, it’s not going to work.”

Parents of Henry Clay students, waiting to pick them up, say they realize getting students through the fixed metal detector will take more time, and possibly delay the start of school, but they think that extra time will be worth it. They say safety should always be number one.

Many parents want to see the metal detectors in all the schools as soon as possible, understanding that Frederick Douglass is serving as a test of the new policy.

Their main concern is whether or not their children will get to come home from school when the bell rings at 3:10.

That’s why they want the detectors.

Some parents say they know the detectors won’t work alone, and other changes will have to accompany them in order for all-around safety, but they say just knowing the district is doing something, makes them feel better when dropping their kids off every day.

“I know my son isn’t bringing anything in, but you never know about anyone else,” said one Henry Clay parent. “This will secure it more and should make everybody feel a little more comfortable. You’ll never be completely comfortable with the situation, but is should help.”

Students say the schools have law enforcement officers in them, which make them feel safe already. Still, they think the metal detectors will provide an added sense of security.