Florida high school students face long lines after metal detectors rollout on first day of classes
A Florida public school district apologized Monday when newly installed metal detectors led to hour-long lines for students at the district’s high schools – including Marjory Stoneman Douglas where a shooter carried out a massacre in 2018.
Droves of teenagers arriving on the first day of classes at the Broward County Public Schools were met with lengthy lines that stretched onto nearby sidewalks as staff struggled to quickly move kids through the security checkpoints, according to footage obtained by local outlets.
High school senior Lukas Paez, 17, was in line for 45 minutes at Western High School where he heard the detectors were set off by belt buckles, metal rings and even the spirals from notebooks, according to the Miami Herald.
After the lengthy delays, officials moved students inside without passing through the metal detectors.
“Having one [metal detector] on each entrance is ridiculous,” his mother, Madeline Reyes told the newspaper. “The students will have to be at school by 6, 6:30 in the morning in order to be able to go through the whole process.”
Another parent outside of Flanagan High School decried the experience though she understood the safety aspect.
“It’s horrible actually, because she’s going to be standing out in the sun for who knows how long. There are so many kids out,” mother Leticia Abaladejo told Local 10.
A parent who sends her kids to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School posted on social media her children arrived at school at 7 a.m. and were still in line at 7:55 a.m., Parkland Talk reported.
In 2018, a mass shooter shot and killed 17 victims inside a building on the high school campus before he was taken into custody and is now serving a life sentence.
The building where the shooting occurred was torn down over the summer.
Broward County is the sixth-largest school district in the nation with more than 30 high schools. The metal detectors were placed at each one.
The school chief quickly apologized for the long lines and wait times while he thanked students for their patience.
“Please remember to avoid bringing metal items or remove them from your bag as you approach the detectors to speed up the process,” Howard Hepburn said in a statement.
“We are committed to improving this experience and will be making necessary adjustments.”
