School violence is becoming a hot topic issue in today’s society. After the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, many parents and students demanded that their school take extra measures to ensure students’ safety. School should be a place that kids feel safe at, a place where they can get a good education and hang out with friends. But watching the news can leave a child too scared to attend school. When the students do not feel safe they have no motivation to learn. Many students do not want to attend school because they are afraid that someone among them will lash out and cause mayhem. It is time that we give the students what they want and need: actual safety.
Having police patrol the school is a great way to beef up security, but why not go even further and have the students go through a metal detector? Sure this sounds absurd and parents will be outraged, but we have to think of our children’s safety. Another big question is where is the money going to come from to pay for metal detectors? The truth is, schools do not need airport metal detectors, all they need are the wand detectors that ushers use at sporting events. Think about it, how many fans attend one game? They all have to be checked in before they can find their seats, and everyone gets checked. So why not have the same procedure at schools all across the United States? When was the last time you heard of a shooting at a sports event?
The procedure does not take long and ensures that the students are safe in school. I believe that students would much rather wake up 45 minutes earlier for school to be scanned, than having a school shooting take place. The process only takes three seconds a person, wasting no time at all. I had the privilege to speak with students in elementary, middle, and high school to see what they thought about putting metal detectors in schools.
“I think schools should have them because I want to be safe in school so I can see my mommy and daddy,” a third grader, Emily M., said.
“I think of school as a place to build my mind and personality, I feel safe. I think metal detectors will make us feel like prisoners,” seventh grader Mike M. said.
“Having metal detectors in schools will not make it like a prison; it is simply there for the students’ and teachers’ protection. I strongly urge schools across the country to take action and make sure school shootings stop,” high school senior Jess K. said.
Only a few schools in the United States have metal detectors because of their high volume of violence, but what about the other schools? Schools like Columbine and Sandy Hook were blindsided when the killers put their plan into action. I believe that it is time to stop the school shootings and bring safety and peace to all of the schools in America. The first step is to getting metal detectors in every school.
