Schools across the country have been taking measures to better secure and protect students from armed attacks. MCCSC superintendent Judy DeMuth proposed the idea of distributing free security scanners, or metal detectors, to schools. Fortunately, this idea was shut down as the school board voted “no” to these scanners during the August school board meeting.

The school board was right to decline the scanner proposal. Having these scanners in schools would most likely cause more issues rather than solve them.

If schools were to have these scanners, does this mean every person who walks through the doors would be required to stop to be scanned and checked? Will they be used at random times? Would some students be checked more than others for their economic or ethnic backgrounds?

What about time management? How long will it take for each student to be stopped and checked? Will this require students to arrive at school at an earlier time? Students already carry various metal objects which would set off the scanners. At airports, people know to dress appropriately and put away any metal objects so that security checks can be done quickly and efficiently. However, will the same be required of students on a day to day basis?

Questions such as these don’t seem to be in the minds of those supporting DeMuth’s proposal. Other schools in the state appear to have accepted the scanners first and thought about these questions later.

“The wands I received several weeks ago have not yet been opened…they are kind of like my exercise bike that serves as a clothes rack: if asked, I can say I have one,” commented David Schlegel on a story about the scanner program by the Herald Times. Schlegel is an administrator for another district in the state.

“I respect the MCCSC board for having the courage to say no,” commented Schlegel.