Security plays a huge role in student’s safety while at school. At Roswell High School, the security is mediocre at best. There are only two police officers throughout the building. In addition to our police officers, RHS should add metal detectors to beef up the security.

Multiple entrances at RHS are unlocked during the school day. It is easy for anyone, including strangers, to enter in and out of the building. Without metal detectors, anyone with a firearm or other weapon could make their way into the school. In 2018,  Education Week stated that there were 24 incidents where a firearm was used on school property. One of these incidents was the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14. The result of this shooting was seventeen casualties and 17 injuries. The gunman had entered the school and wasn’t checked by any security. Also, in 2018 a 16-year-old boy opened fire in the cafeteria, injuring a 15-year-old student at Italy High School in Texas. To prevent this at RHS, the school should place metal detectors by the entrances of the student parking lot, the front office, and the bus lane. These parts of the school are most active during arrival and dismissal from school. 

Here’s why RHS should invest in metal detectors. Once installed, the detector’s alarm would go off if anyone attempted to enter the school with a weapon. This would allow enough time for a police officer to check the person and confiscate any weapons. Joe Vazquez, who works for Garret Metal Detectors says, “the mere presence of the machines may be enough to prevent violence if the attacker thinks they’re likely to get caught as they enter the building”. After anyone walks through the metal detector, a screening will be shown of what items are being carried on the person. The detectors could also stop a previous attacker from striking again. 

Adding metal detectors would help take the load off our two officers around the school.

Students and faculty should feel at ease when coming to school, instead of worrying about their personal safety. With the installation of metal detectors, parents will also feel better about sending their kids off to school. 

“Parents won’t regret dropping off their kids at school knowing the security is superb,” states sophomore Boubacar Diallo.

“Metal detectors at RHS would prevent extreme events such as school shootings and vaping epidemics,” says sophomore Matthew Schultz.