Scanning: Keeping Students Safe

Public schools in NYC have been using scanners on students over the years. These scanners are used to keep students safe and avoid violence. With the Bronx stabbing earlier in the school year, and the recent shooting, scanners may have helped avoid such tragedies.

According to NYCDOE in the 1980’s metal detectors have been used in New York City public schools in order to maintain a safe and secure school environment and prevent weapons from being brought into the schools.

According to Diamond Brown who is a student at FSA feels like, “Scanning is needed in public schools but I also feel like it affects students because it's a burden to get through. It affects kids because it makes the kids feel like they are a criminal especially the ones who are a good students. I feel like scanning shouldn’t be often because It is too much to do and kids feel uncomfortable.”

Patrick who is a Supervisor at FSA feels that, “there are two types of scanning; permanent scanning and random scanning. Metal detectors have not always been in NYC DOE public schools. There were put into schools that had safety issues. The belief is that the MDs prevent students from bringing weapons into schools, the idea is that they would create a safer learning environment for students. School Safety is a division of the New York City Police Department and employees many people.”

Patrick also stated that, “ I have worked in four different NYD DOE schools over the last twenty years. Those four schools did not have permanent scanning. In two of the schools we had random scanning at one point or another. When we had random scanning it was disruptive to the learning process for our students. I personally prefer working in a school building that does not have scanning. I feel the safety of school has more to do with our the school develops culture and community”.

Valerie who is a the school Secretary at FSA feels that “ School scanning is important to all schools not only public schools , because with all the school shooting that are taking place in this country. Scanning will contribute to the safety of everyone, preventing weapons in the school, Public schools have scanning to prevent illegal weapons and illegal substances in the building.” Ms.Valerie also feels like “I didn't like the idea of scanning at one time, because I thought it made students and staff feel like criminals. Now, I see there is a great necessity for scanning - all the illegal weapons found in school and school shootings.” As I asked Valerie If public schools didn't have scanning would learning be more effective, she stated “ No, schools would not be more effective if there was no scanning. Scanning should provide security to the students and staff; so they could learn and teach more comfortably.”

As you can see in FSA ( Forsyth Satellite Academy ) we barely have scanning. We only have scanning when something have gone wrong or when they feel like we need to have it so that way they can protect the kids and staffs from danger. Last time we had a scanner in our school it was January 30th, 2017 because we had a issue in our school, so the security wanted to make sure the kids don't bring any weapons and to also make sure that us students and the staff in our community feel safe.