Bexar County Board of Education members on Jan. 9 approved the purchase of an open-gate metal detection system for the district’s three high schools with a maximum price of $700,000, following a report that a weapon was brought onto a campus the previous day.

At a called meeting convened to discuss school safety, the board moved into a private executive session before returning to vote on the purchase. The board’s motion to authorize the purchase carried on a voice vote; no formal roll-call tally was recorded in the public transcript.

The meeting began with a board leader saying, “We are all here with 1 single common goal and that is ensuring safety of all of our students and our staff.” After the executive session, Dr. Madoff recommended that the board “authorize the purchase of weapons detection systems to be implemented at our high schools” and specified an “open gate system, metal detection with a maximum price of $700,000 to be utilized, at all 3 of our high schools.”

Dr. Madoff told the board the recommendation followed months of work by staff and public-safety partners, including visits to other school systems and consultations with vendors and safety experts. He said the recommendation was prompted in part by an incident at Apalachee High School the day before, when “that weapon was confiscated immediately and that individual was taken into custody.”

The board approved a motion to move into executive session to discuss safety plans — moved by Miss Hendricks and seconded by Miss Carey — before returning to the public meeting and approving the purchase motion, moved by Miss Kelly and seconded by Miss Lord. The transcript records the board chair calling for a voice vote and saying, “All in favor?”; the clerk then declared the meeting ready to proceed.

District staff told the board the systems were expected to begin arriving early next week so staff training and campus implementation could start. Staff also said they would begin conversations about limiting the number of bags brought onto campuses while recognizing many students need bags for school activities.

Board leaders framed the measure as an immediate, layered safety step rather than a final solution. Dr. Madoff said, “the next step will not be our last step,” and urged continued engagement from board members, staff, students, families and public-safety partners. The meeting notice said public comment was not allowed at this called session; the district directed people to resources and invited the public to the next forum for comment on Feb. 4.

The executive session was private; the chair said information that does not compromise safety will be reflected in the public minutes. The transcript did not identify funding sources for the purchase, procurement timeline beyond the expected arrival next week, nor provide a recorded vote tally or details about vendors beyond the description "open gate system."