Schools & Metal Detectors

Way back when I was a teenager, I can remember going to see a low-budget movie called "Class of 1984". It dealt with a futuristic school system that was in decay from gangs, drugs and violence. The one scene that struck me as far-fetched was where the students had to pass through a metal detector as they entered the school building. Keep in mind, this was back in the early 80's when the idea of walking through a metal detector on your way to Biology class seemed so unbelievable.

Fast forward to the year 2012 and we see that fiction has become fact. Some schools have had metal detectors since the 90's while many more are contemplating installing them. This is in response to the numerous shootings and other weapon incidents in America's schools.

Most of us are aware of the tragedy that occurred at Colorado's Columbine High School in 1999 where 14 students (and one teacher) were shot to death. But since then, nearly 150 additional people have been killed as a result of school shootings. In reality, school shootings have been going on since the 19th century. And unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be stopping. Just a couple of weeks ago, a student was shot at school near my hometown of Baltimore. And in the past week, there have been two other instances of students bringing guns into area schools.

So, how do we stop it? Do we put metal detectors in all schools? Do we set up TSA-type agents near every school entrance? Of course, that would inevitably open up a never-ending supply of groping lawsuits.

I think we really need to look into the root of the problem. For some people, it's politically convenient to blame everything on the guns. After all, you can't have a shooting without a gun, right? But is that really the problem? Saying that guns are the reason behind school shootings is like saying that box-cutters were responsible for 9/11.

However, I do think that people who are irresponsible with their firearms should be held accountable. If someone (like a student) gets hold of your gun because you failed to secure it, you share the responsibility for anything that happens with that gun. In many of today's shootings, guns were effortlessly obtained through family and friends. If just a few of these guns were safely secured, maybe a few more kids would have ended the day on a school-bus instead of an ambulance....

Here's staggering statistic: According to the US Department of Education, in the 1998-99 school year, 3523 students were expelled for bringing a firearm to school. And roughly roughly 350 of these kids were elementary students!

Apparently, many of the school shooters have acted out violently in retaliation for being bullied. It's estimated that 71% of school shooters were motivated by being bullied. This is something that has become a huge problem in our schools and can not be ignored. In the recent Baltimore school shooting, I was told by one of the parents that the shooter had been a victim of bullying throughout last year's school year. On the first day of class, I was also told the kid was sitting in the cafeteria when another group of kids threw food on him. This prompted him to retrieve his gun which was hidden in a school bathroom,. In the end, a special needs student was on his way to the hospital with a gunshot wound. I'm certainly not excusing the shooter's actions, but maybe, just maybe, there were some things that could have prevented the whole incident.

Bullying definitely needs to be addressed and taken seriously by parents, teachers and school administrators. Close personal friends have informed me of incidents which lead me to believe that bullying is often casually dismissed in today's schools. The recurring violence should be a pretty good indication that something is seriously wrong. Getting an education shouldn't have to be painful.

I'm not sure what we need to do to create a safer learning environment for our kids. But I'm pretty sure the answer lies a lot deeper than metal detectors......

kw