Should schools add metal detectors to increase student safety?

The purpose of this article is to discuss the pros and cons of metal detectors in schools and provide information regarding how the state and local school districts have tackled this issue.

 

Some of the pros of having metal detectors in schools:  

 

Weapon Confiscation – The first benefit, and maybe the most obvious, is the ability to find and confiscate weapons from people entering the building or campus. There’s no doubt the prevention of weapons finding their way into a school creates a safer campus.  

 

Deterrence – According to experts, just the presence of metal detectors is often enough to prevent someone from entering or even thinking of entering school with a weapon. This is particularly true for the students, staff, and visitors who enter the building (and walk through the metal detectors) each day and thus are familiar with the security systems in place.

 

Campus Safety Perceptions – The presence of metal detectors provides the community, parents, and staff with a sense of security when they know everyone in the school has been screened.  Providing a safe environment allows teachers and students to focus on what matters most in school: learning. Beyond weapons screening, the presence of metal detectors shows the community that the school is taking safety seriously and investing accordingly. 

 

While the pros are great, there are some very real cons to adding metal detectors:

 

Cost Prohibitive – Metal detectors are costly to purchase and install, and  require other related expenditures such as staffing, training and maintenance. A trained officer is required to operate the detector and to investigate the source of any alert and to verify whether it is a weapon or other object.  

 

State Representative Wendell Gailliard, from the 111th District in Charleston County, has been supporting a bill that would place metal detectors in all S.C. public schools. However, the bill has yet to pass, as the initiative is seen as cost prohibitive. According to a 2018 report from the S.C. Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, walk-through metal detectors cost $4,000 per detector, and the non-recurring cost to place three detectors in each of the state’s 1,200 schools would be $14.4 million. It’s even more expensive to adequately staff the walk-through metal detectors.  The recurring cost to school districts could be $98.3 million, according to the statement of fiscal impact.

 

Limited Utility – Metal detectors are only effective if properly implemented and monitored.  Even the most well-run metal detector system isn’t 100% foolproof. Basically, they’re only as good as the person running them.  

 

Disruptive – Having students pass through metal detectors as they arrive in the morning disrupts the school program because officers require time to check the students. So, students will either have to arrive at school earlier, or part of their school day will be used trying to get through the metal detectors. Additionally, the presence of metal detectors may make students feel like prisoners in a place where they should feel safe and secure.

 

In conclusion, since there is no state legislation regarding the use of metal detectors in schools, the use of metal detectors is determined on a county-by-county basis. Locally, Charleston County has metal detector wands at all high schools and middle schools. Georgetown County also utilizes metal detectors. Colleton County has recently added metal detectors to its schools. Dorchester District 4 has ordered metal detectors and District 2 is considering them. Berkeley County is not considering metal detectors at this time.

 

Chris Mingledorff and Michael Patterson are attorneys with Mingledorff & Patterson LLC on Daniel Island. For more information, go to mptrial.com.