Bullard ISD to implement mobile metal detectors at middle and high schools
Published 10:27 am Friday, March 6, 2020
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Bullard ISD is taking extra steps to ensure student safety. The district plans to introduce mobile metal detectors at its high school and middle schools over the next few weeks. Students may also be subjected to backpack searches each morning, according to a statement the district posted to its Facebook page on Friday.
The district is recommending students allot five to 15 minutes earlier than they normally would to account for screening time, in order to avoid being marked tardy. Only the front entrance and bus entrance will be open for students in the mornings.
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The statement said school officials will be talking to students about the procedures for the metal detectors when they return from Spring Break and expect to begin screening on March 23.
Superintendent Jack Lee told the Tyler Paper that “the district is implementing mobile metal detectors as a proactive measure and not in response to any immediate concerns or recent incidents. There are no permanent installations at any campus, and the mobile metal detectors will only be used randomly and not on a daily basis. Primary, they will be used as a proactive measure for both school and extracurricular activities or in response to any safety concerns.”
The decision to bring in the metal detectors comes after the district implemented a number of new safety measures and created threat assessment teams which will work together with parents, teachers, administrators, behavioral health professionals and law enforcement when a student or staff member shows signs of threatening behavior.
Those teams will work to address the underlying issues, but the district said those responses cannot protect against all threats, which may enter the school on a student’s person or in their backpack, according to the statement.
“Bullard ISD continues to be at the forefront of student safety, and this measure adds an additional resource for the physical safety of our students and staff,” Lee said. “The district is also exploring new initiatives to offer resources and programs for our students and families regarding social-emotional learning and mental health and well-being.“
The district said in addition to using the detectors at the high school and middle school, they can also be used at sports events and other extracurricular activities to screen for potential weapons, illegal items or substances, such as vapor cigarettes.
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The district is asking parents to speak with their students about leaving non-essential items at home.
“Vaping continues to be an epidemic that all schools across the country are battling,” Lee said. “Metal detectors can aid in the detection of such devices, and the district is also exploring other mediums such as resources for our students and families that suffer from addiction.
“However, vaping devices and paraphernalia are prohibited on any Bullard ISD campus, and the district is currently working with our district police, local law enforcement, and campus administrators to address any vaping incidents in a manner that is consistent with state and federal laws as well as the district’s code of conduct.”