Board agrees to workshop on expanding metal detectors after trustees cite safety concerns

Trustee Edwin Ferguson renewed his call to expand metal detectors beyond high schools to middle and elementary campuses, citing incidents including a recent discovery of an unloaded firearm at JFK Middle School and concerns about community violence in some neighborhoods (SEG 3311–3335). Ferguson argued detectors are a reasonable, proven deterrent and asked the board to prioritize rollout.

Superintendent Michael Burke and staff described the district’s layered approach to safety—single‑point entry, cameras, card access and school police—and noted that while detector equipment costs (roughly $20,000 a set at larger sites) are manageable, recurring staffing costs to operate detectors each school day are the more significant budget driver. Burke said some alternative schools and high schools already use detectors and that smaller campuses may struggle to staff them without additional funding. Trustees proposed options including phased rollout, handheld detectors for temporary deployment in high‑risk periods, and coordination with local law enforcement and safety committees in affected communities (notably the Glades region).

Trustees voiced concerns about creating a two‑tiered perception if only some campuses have detectors and asked for principal input on operational feasibility. The board agreed by consensus to schedule a workshop and to consider detector options during the upcoming budget process or in a focused executive session on security planning.