BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Melbourne High School will be the first public school in Brevard County to test out new metal detectors for students, according to the school district.
A school district spokesperson told News 6 it would be the first school in “a phased in approach” and that the system would be in all high schools by the end of the school year.
Between now and then, the school will be talking to students about what they can and cannot bring so things can run as smoothly as possible.
Osceola High School last month started testing weapons detectors.
Orange County Public Schools in 2023 began a pilot program to decide whether to deploy OPENGATE weapon-detection systems at district high schools — opting to conduct the trial at Wekiva, Boone, Horizon, Lake Nona, Evans, Timber Creek and Jones high schools — but ended up scrapping the program because the costs to run it were too high.
Friday, News 6 reporter James Sparvero asked Melbourne High parent Andrew Espinosa if he thought the metal detectors were a good idea.
“In the current climate, yeah, unfortunately, I think that’s where we’re at,” Espinosa said. “I have a better peace of mind knowing that when my kids go to school, there’s an armed officer, there’s screening processes, and unfortunately, it’s just a necessary evil at this point.”
At a school board meeting in April when the district got the presentation about OPENGATE, Katye Campbell, asked about instruments being carried through the metal detectors by band members.
“Are we stopping the trombone players everyday as they walk through because you could put something in a case, right,” Campbell asked.
Chris Usselman of Communications Technologies advised students to walk through with their instruments.
”Some will not set it off, surprisingly, others will, but the reality is with the large containers that have the trombones and things in them, you’re probably gonna have to have those students just go to secondary screening right off the bat because they gotta open up this thing and just check the space, make sure there’s nothing else in there,” Usselman said.
Brevard Public Schools said the metal detectors will be installed at Melbourne High School on Oct. 8.
Though Melbourne High School will be the county’s first public school to use metal detectors, it won’t be the county’s first in general. For example, the principal of Parkhurst Academy — a private school in Melbourne — told News 6 in the following statement that his campus has used metal detectors for the last three years as a safety measure that while not an easy decision to make has seen overwhelming support from students and parents.
Metal detectors are in place as a proactive safety measure and have been for the past three years. Our armed security team operates them while also searching bags. It was not a decision we took lightly. On one hand, we want to provide the highest level of safety possible, and on the other hand, we do not want to create an institutional feeling. We find that students and parents overwhelmingly support it. The investment in the safety of our students, staff, and families is well worth it.
Larry Roselle, principal, Parkhurst Academy
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