Should metal detectors be installed in schools - fatal stabbing in Sheffield

[IdaGlossop]

Today, a 15-year old was fatally stabbed with a knife by a fellow pupil at a Sheffield secondary school. The perpetrator is being held in custody having been charged with murder. Inevitably, the cry has begun, again, for secondary schools to install metal detectors.

I think on balance they should be installed. While they are a constant and visible reminder of the possibility of schools being very dangerous places, they also have a role in helping keep young people and staff safe.

Practically I don’t see how it could easily work. Who would man them and search the students when it goes off for all sorts? The queues would be out the door for things like lunchtime coming back in unless you had multiple people and multiple scanners, I don’t see how they could afford it/get the man power In schools that are already struggling

No it's demeaning and dehumanising and we only have occasional isolated incidents. The kids doing this sort of thing will always find a way regardless of what we do to try to police it.
If there was money in the budget for metal detectors it should be spent on more early intervention for the kids with the problem behaviours.

They would be nothing more than a sticking plaster and a visible sop to the people who want to see Something Done.

We need proper investment in community policing, youth services, and CAMHS, not further pressure on schools to act as every public service all at once.

No, it is a slippery slope to security guards etc, just like the USA. We need to change the culture, so that people realise it is wrong to carry knives.

Also the worst incident I ever had to deal with was a firework. That would have still made it through a metal detector. Like I said, certain kids will always find a way.

I think it will come eventually. Knives are becoming too common and too many people are being hurt.

It won't be foolproof though. A broken bottle can be equally lethal.

Statistically speaking it's not a huge problem in schools - though even one case is a tragedy obviously - so metal detectors would be overkill.

They will just move to plastic knives/weapons.

No, it's not the answer. More surveillance does not lead to happiness. Most people have metal on zips, shoes and bags anyway, so who is going to be conducting a personal search on all of these children every day? You can guarantee it will be girls who are on the receiving end of that system.

There are some persuasive arguments here already. Thank-you. I am starting to think I am being unreasonable. Banning phones, as some schools do, is far easier to implement and would have an impact on managing violent behaviour. Kids message one another when there's a fight so the aggressors end up with an audience, some of whom join in.

Yes of course, do you need to ask?

Not just at schools though, all public buildings, etc.
Should never have been allowed to go this far but it has, so we need to protect people as much as we can.

I do need to ask because I can see there are arguments for and against.

I don’t think metal detectors are going to help with a serious attack plan. If someone wants to get a weapon into the school, they will figure out a way to bypass the metal detector. Metal detectors are for low-level violence that might escalate if someone has contraband. For that, it seems better to me to work on the school ethos.

Then what? Sniffer dogs, compulsory body armour for all staff and pupils? Teachers being allowed to carry weapons as protection?

No - you address the cause.

So who’s going to supervise these gates? The detectors can’t tell the difference between a stapler and a knife. Bags will need to be checked constantly. Back on my day when children were poppets and teachers at all times respected etc there would’ve been plenty of us who would’ve tucked a spoon under a mysteriously torn lining to shave 15 minutes off the start of double maths or just for the japes.

There’s not enough money for glue sticks let alone metal detectors!

At my old school they did get some of the handheld ones they use at airports that could be used if there was a suspicion- they were mostly used for vapes though.

We also had visits from police sniffer dogs!

There are other ways to get knives in. My secondary school site was and still is a huge sprawling thing with multiple buildings, boundaries and ways in/out, including a massive public wood along one side. Where would the metal detectors go and who would police them all day?

When I was at college in the late 90's we had security guards and metal detectors... really surprised that more schools don't have this twenty years later!

We need to exclude the kids who are that way inclined. The girl who stabbed a pupil and 2 teachers in Wales was found guilty of attempted murder today. A knife had been found on her in school previously. She should have been nowhere near a school after that.

Very sad event. Lots of American schools have had metal detectors for years so it is doable, for all those with practical concerns

It's likely that this child should have been expelled long ago. But the government don't like this, so here we are.

Remember, all behaviour is communication!

If a kid wants to stab someone they will find a way. Whether that is doing it outside of school grounds, or throwing a weapon over the fence to pick up during school hours.

Metal detectors are not going to stop teenagers getting attacked.

So all you saying no to the metal detectors what is the answer.

Also, of your child went to this particular school what would they have to do now to make you feel it was safe for your child.

I have to say that I’m thinking if this was my child’s school, I’d be really looking for solutions. So, I voted YANBU with re to metal detectors in schools 🤷‍♀️

Yup.