Education
NYC officials increasing random metal
detector use in public schools
BY ALEJANDRA O'CONNELLDOMENECH
The city plans on upping the number
of random uses of metal detectors in
public schools in response to a recent
string of violence on campuses.
“We want to make sure that in the tough
moments that we’ve gone through in the last
year and a half that we are protecting our
kids, that we are protecting our schools,” de
Blasio said during a press conference Monday
morning. “We know there are some schools
where there has been some real safety issues
lately and we need to make sure we are adding
extra protection.”
Earlier this month, a 16-year-old Bronx
student stabbed a 17-year-old classmate three
times in a school library prompting some
parents to raise concerns over the number
of school safety offi cers stationed in schools.
Last week, a 14-year-old student brought a
pink handgun to school and showed it off to
other students.
De Blasio did not specify which New York
City public schools would see increased use
in metal detector usage and instead pledged
High school students line up to get into class in Hell’s Kitchen on March 22,
2021 — which marked the reopening of public high schools amid the COVID-19
pandemic.
to reveal “more details” in the “coming days.”
In addition to the increased screenings, some
public schools will receive school safety offi -
cers in order to create 27 “safe corridors” and
neighborhood and youth coordination NYPD
offi cers will be present at arrival and dismissal.
The full return of students to public schools
this fall also meant the return of thousands
of school safety agents and the return of the
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
long-standing question over their place within
school communities. According to NYPD
Chief Rodney K. Harrison, who joined the
mayor Monday for his morning press conference,
there are about 3,200 school-safety
agents at 1,400 school sites throughout the
fi ve boroughs.
Advocates have called for the removal
of police offi cers in schools particularly in
communities of color that are already overpoliced.
When asked on Monday whether an
infl ux of school safety offi cers would increase
tensions between students and NYPD offi cers
de Blasio said that offi cials would work to
conduct scans “in a way that is respectful and
communicative.”
“I see some positive training that goes into
this whole process of scanning with the school
safety agents, but it’s also about relationship
building. I think that’s an important component
that’s being left off the table regarding
the dialogue and discussion regarding having
the school safety agents, making sure that the
students are safe, but also making sure that
there’s a conversation to explain what we’re
doing and why we’re doing it, ” said Harrison.
Mayoral democratic nominee and current
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams
told reporters during a visit to Brooklyn on
Monday that he would would analyze Blasio’s
plan to see if it fi ts his goals for public schools
and suggested using metal detectors to detect
weapons on students was unnecessary to keep
schools safe.
“We don’t need to dehumanize children, ”
said Adams. “There’s new technology out there
where you don’t need that visible presence to
detect that fi rearm and we are going to use that
technology to make schools safer.
Morgan C. Mullings contributed to this
report.
12 October 28, 2021 Schneps Media