Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick is set to present school board members on Wednesday with data from a recently concluded weapon detection pilot program, as the district weighs whether to expand the technology on a permanent basis.
The district launched the pilot program at Gibbs High School and Palm Harbor University High School on April 7, with the trial initially scheduled to run through May 29. However, it was cut short after just two weeks. Hendrick cited upcoming international and state testing as the reason, saying the program needed to conclude to avoid any impact on those exams.
In the early days of the rollout, students reported long lines at entry points each morning. On some days, screening at Palm Harbor had to end before all students passed through to ensure they weren’t late for their first class.
Data released by the district shows mixed results. At Gibbs, 9,744 students passed through the detectors, generating 683 alerts — about 7% of students. At Palm Harbor, 16,729 students were screened, with 1,529 alerts, affecting roughly 9% of students.
The district did not report whether any weapons were found during the trial. Among the items that triggered alerts were large water bottles, metal frames, art class tool kits, large shears used in costume design courses, and the positioning of students’ backpacks as they walked through the detectors.
For the remainder of the school year, the weapon detection systems will be used at large school-sanctioned events. The district’s report also noted that the detection units cannot be purchased using the state’s School Hardening Grant.
The school board is expected to take up the program’s future at Wednesday’s meeting.
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