MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN) — As Wilson County Schools introduces rotating metal detectors around the district, one Mt. Juliet parent is questioning the effectiveness of the new measure.
This week was Mt. Juliet High School’s turn to try out the new metal detectors, which will eventually rotate to different schools throughout the district and sporting events.
Parent Jordan Farmer is wondering why the district announced the metal detectors, saying the machines have also caused delays.
“The kids let me know they were coming; they’ve all known for a while. They got an email that they’re going to set off these metal detectors, and so part of me is like, ‘If everybody knows they have them, who are you going to catch because who’s going to intentionally walk through a metal detector with something?'” Farmer said. “She said that every spiral binder is setting them off, every three-ring binder is setting them off, all the water bottles are setting them off, and so it’s adding 30, 40 minutes it seems like to getting into class.”
According to Wilson County Schools Public Information Officer Bart Barker, some kinks were expected this week while finding the proper sensitivity setting for the machines.
“It’s balancing that adjustment between the settings with the machine to common school supplies that students would be bringing through the machine, but most importantly to detect any possible weapons that would come through,” Barker explained.
Barker said the machines may not always be announced in the future, but even if they are, district officials hope it will make students think twice.
“Not only are the machines and the K-9s and everything we do very powerful tools and resources, they are effective and useful, but they also do provide that deterrent for things that are not permitted,” Barker said.
However, Farmer feels that other measures, like adding wands at each school for more targeted checks, may be more effective.
“In my head, I don’t really understand how this would catch or deter anyone when they know they’re going to be there, they have all the time in line to think about whether or not they want to walk through it…I don’t know, seems like a joke,” Farmer said.
