The Houston Impartial Faculty District has began a fast overhaul of its safety system. Following latest gun threats and security considerations, it launched a brand new “weapons detection system” known as OpenGate at Lamar Excessive Faculty.
HISD will implement the system on campuses the place weapons had been discovered within the final 12 months.
College students are required to stroll by the detection system with laptops in hand and backpacks on.
HISD Superintendent Mike Miles stated throughout a press convention the weapons detectors can display screen about 600 college students in half-hour. He defined {that a} purple gentle signifies the presence of a weapon or contraband. These college students will then need to proceed to extra screening.
“This isn’t a cure-all. The weapon detection system doesn’t imply you received’t have weapons within the faculties, however that is yet another layer, and we’re being prudent about having these weapon detection methods positioned in these faculties.”
– Mike Miles
“Staffing shall be a school-by-school challenge,” Miles stated. “That’s why we’re doing the drills. We’re doing the plans, going over their plans to see how they are going to be staffed. This isn’t a cure-all. The weapon detection system doesn’t imply you received’t have weapons within the faculties, however that is yet another layer, and we’re being prudent about having these weapon detection methods positioned in these faculties.”
HISD known as it a “clean first day of implementation as college students and workers handed by the open gate system to get into faculty.”
It’s a layered method. We want youngsters to say one thing once they see one thing.
Rita Graves, Lamar Principal
“We let the youngsters know upfront what to anticipate, they usually got here by for us,” stated Lamar Principal Rita Graves. “It’s a layered method. We want youngsters to say one thing once they see one thing. We have to know in regards to the issues which are occurring on the campus and assist youngsters construct relationships with adults so that they really feel protected coming to us when there’s a difficulty.”
HISD plans to implement weapons detectors in any respect campuses by Could. Northside and Bellaire Excessive Faculties would be the subsequent two to obtain the brand new expertise.
HISD Police Chief Shamara Garner stated the college district acquired a grant totaling greater than $1.9 million to pay for the methods.
Whereas the expertise began with excessive faculties, Miles stated it could increase to center faculties upon receiving extra funds.
Final 12 months, seven college students had been arrested and charged in connection to threats from weapons.
