Richland School District Two still exploring metal detectors

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - At the Richland School District Two a special Safety and Security Committee is working through details involving metal detectors at high schools.

School Resource Officers took a 9-millimeter gun from a 17-year-old student at Richland Northeast High School a few weeks ago. Metal detectors alerting police.

McGee Woody is a parent on the Safety & Security Committee he says “My number one goal when I drop off my kids is that they are in a safe environment and picking them up safely at the end of the day. That’s my goal.”

Woody and other members of the Safety and Security Committee were back at it again talking about the best way to keep students safe and leaning toward metal detectors. To have four of them at the district’s five high schools will cost around three million dollars.

Richland School District Two Chief Operations Officer Will Anderson says “It will cost a half a million for a one-time capital cost. Another two and a half million to have staffing and metal detectors at every high school every day. It is part of an overall proposal the board will have to look at to see if they want that in their budget for the next fiscal year.”

District officials say so far this school year 28 weapons including guns and knives have been confiscated from students. And district-wide there have been 37 school threats.

Dr. Monica E. Scott has been asking for metal detectors in schools for more than a decade.

“I have traveled to other school districts and metal detectors work. Our number one priority is the safety of our kids and we will see it through,” said Dr. Scott.

The Safety and Security Committee members may travel to districts that have metal detectors to help with the decision process. It will take a few weeks before they make a recommendation to the full School Board.

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