Council Post: Pros And Cons Of Using Metal Detectors For Security Screening At Schools

Chris Ciabarra is the CTO of Athena Security.

With over 200 school shootings since 2022—46 just this year—it’s no wonder public trust in these institutions is fading fast.

These tragic incidents often involve individuals dealing with mental health struggles, substance abuse, or a need for adrenaline or gratification. While addressing these underlying issues is essential, ensuring that weapons never make it onto school grounds is an immediate and critical priority.

Many school administrators see metal detectors as a quick fix for gun violence. But do they actually make schools safer, or are they just a Band-Aid solution? Let’s explore:

Pros Of Metal Detectors As School Sentinels

Metal detectors are more than just security tools at school entrances; they also instill a sense of safety among students, staff and parents to focus on what truly matters—education. Let’s understand how:

Deterrent To Weapon Bringing

When the cat’s away, the mice will play. But when under watch, they behave. Metal detectors in schools serve the same purpose—deterring weapons and reducing violence. They’re not perfect, but just knowing they’re there makes students and staff think twice about bringing anything dangerous inside. Curious about how to measure this impact? Learn how to quantify the deterrent factor.

Safety Perception Enhancement

Parents feel more confident sending their kids to school when they know effective security measures, like metal detectors, are in place. For example, a mother with a teenager about to start at Little Mill Middle School recently petitioned to have metal detectors installed at the school’s entrances. This came after a 14-year-old was caught with a gun at the school, thanks to a student who reported it. But not all students may be that vigilant, which is why strong safety measures are so important.

Detection Of Various Weapon Types

Metal detectors are highly effective at detecting various firearms, including handguns, semi-automatic pistols and revolvers—the ones commonly used in school violence. They are particularly effective at detecting firearms intended for mass casualties, as these weapons typically contain significant metal components in the barrel and firing mechanism.

While metal detectors provide undeniable benefits in enhancing school safety, it’s important to explore the other side of the coin.

Cons Of Metal Detectors In Schools

Metal detectors may appear an easy fix, but they can create a false sense of security and affect students’ mental well-being. Here’s how:

Prison-Like Environment

Metal detectors can make schools feel more like high-security zones than learning environments. This can significantly impact the school atmosphere, making students feel surveilled and uncomfortable, which is counterproductive to fostering a nurturing educational environment.

Delay In School Entry

Metal detectors might cause delays at entrances, leading to longer morning queues and disrupting the smooth start of classes, creating stress for both students and staff.

No wonder when Henrico schools tested metal detectors, they randomly selected every 7th or 15th student to go through to ensure they do not slow down student entry.

Inability To Detect Non-Metallic Weapons

While metal detectors work well for traditional metal weapons, they often miss items made from advanced composites or certain plastics used in modern weaponry. This limitation highlights the need for technology that can detect a broader range of threats, providing schools with a more reliable safety solution.

Cost Of Staffing

The biggest issue with metal detectors is the cost of staffing them. Schools may be able to afford the one-time or recurring fees for the metal detector, but the real burden is the ongoing expense of staffing. It can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $80,000 per person, and schools often need one or two staff members per unit. This is a significant expense that many schools simply can’t afford. It’s unfortunate, but sometimes safety comes down to money.

Human Error Possibilities

Despite rigorous checks, metal detectors are not foolproof and are subject to human error. For example, consider a scenario where an individual places a knife on top of a gun, potentially triggering an alert. Security personnel may confiscate the knife during a bag check but might miss asking the individual to go through the metal detector again. The gun remains concealed and passes through undetected. Having proper process and controls in place can help these issues.

Now, the question arises: If metal detectors also don’t promise a foolproof solution, how should schools approach safety for students and staff?

The Need For Robust Security Solutions

To keep students and staff safe while maintaining a stress-free environment, schools need to invest in robust security solutions.

Advanced weapon detection systems (WDS) can spot both traditional and non-metallic weapons, streamline entry, and work seamlessly with other security measures like video management systems (VMS), access control and lockdown systems.

Additionally, having a visitor management system helps keep child predators at bay by instantly checking the scanned information from driver’s license against databases of known offenders.

In an instance where a gun is detected or a known offender is identified, the system can instantly alert district headquarters to respond immediately before any harm is done.

While budget concerns are valid, exploring government grants, support from alumni and parents, and rental options with monthly or quarterly payments could help. Some security solution providers even let schools own the equipment after a certain amount is paid.

We All Have A Part To Play

Besides investing in robust security solutions, I believe schools, parents and the government all have a part to play:

• Schools: We need to address the root causes by offering mental health support through counseling and creating programs that build resilience in students.
• Parents: It’s crucial to ensure safe gun storage at home, teach kids to report anything suspicious and actively participate in safety discussions.
• Government: While the government is already making efforts to help schools enhance safety, I advocate for standardizing security measures across all schools, even those without past incidents, and providing the necessary funding and resources for safety upgrades and mental health programs.

We all need to work together to keep our schools safe.

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