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JAMESTOWN, NY (WNY News Now) – A poll of students at Jamestown High School reveals that most in the student body feel metal detectors would not be a good solution to address safety concerns within the building.
The opinion was brought forward by student members of the Jamestown Public School’s Board of Education on Tuesday. They asked the student body about a parent proposal that calls for updated security at entrances to Jamestown High School, specifically metal detectors.
The call for metal detectors first took center stage after a group of parents spoke out about safety concerns at JHS, following an increase of bullying and fighting within the school.
Students polled said while metal detectors would most likely be ineffective, concealed weapon detectors could be a viable option in their eyes.
The Student board members went on to say that use of either security measure, would give the appearance that Jamestown High School is a “prison” where “fights with knives on the daily” take place.
The school’s Board of Education President Paul Abbott believes that the solution starts at home.
“In any matter of education, whether it’s safety or the success of a child, family intervention at home and family involvement at home is always the key,“ explained Abbott.
He goes on to say that metal detectors in schools will not make a difference.
“If you look nation wide at some of the horrible things that have happened in the schools,“ stated Abbott. “Metal detectors wouldn’t have made a difference in a lot of them, but hardening of the targets, making schools more difficult to get into, and less accessible to people who would do harm.”
In the end, Abbott says that if any parent has concerns, to contact the Board of Education, so they can help.
“We have over 4,000 students in this district,“ explained Abbott. “We can’t know everything that’s going on all the time.”
The school system has employed the help of social workers and community outreach specialists to help students at home who might be dealing with issues.
There is already security staff in place, specifically at Jamestown High School.
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