Richland Northeast High School implemented its metal detectors, or “safety screenings,” for the first day of school last Tuesday. Safety concerns over the past few years have encouraged the Richland Two school board executive team into implementing these screenings. As a part of these screenings, students and faculty must walk through metal detectors each morning, and their belongings may be checked for dangerous items.
“The purpose of our safety screenings is really for the safety of the students and the staff. It is a deterrent,” said Kim. D. Moore, the new Superintendent of Richland Two, in an interview with The Saber on Aug. 7.
Last school year, the district implemented random metal detector screenings on a few occasions. These screenings prevented a 17-year-old male student from bringing a loaded weapon onto school grounds.
Some students agree that metal detectors could help prevent weapons on school grounds.
“I feel like they might make people stop bringing in guns or even like vapes into the school grounds,” said junior Keishia Bandarii.
RNE has implemented other safety precautions as well.
“We’ ve asked our SROs [school resource officers] to continue to walk the campus daily to make sure all exterior doors are completely locked. I’ve asked my administrative team to walk the building to make sure all the doors are locked. When I’m not in a meeting you will see me pulling doors, walking up and checking doors. I’m all over the building,” Principal Mark Sims said.
SROs are also responsible for checking student IDs.
“We have four campus monitors that constantly walk around campus along with our SROs.” Sims said. “We’ve asked them to get to know the students, we’ve asked them to check for IDs, so if you see someone without an ID, stop that student, call for an administrator so that we can get that kid identified and find out why they don’t have an ID,”
Not all students agree with the screenings.
“All that slow motion waiting for people to get through the metal detectors, it’s going to get aggravating,” said junior Damarcus Haliburton.
