Broward County Public Schools installed metal detectors in its high schools at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. These metal detectors have been present at every entry point of all 32 BCPS high schools, including Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
The summer prior to this school year, BCPS posted an announcement on their website, which provided information about how the metal detectors would be instituted.
The policy was designed to ensure safety in schools by detecting and preventing weapons and other harmful objects from entering school campuses. The metal detectors are in place to provide tighter security and address safety concerns.
Metal detectors were first tested at Flanagan High School and J.P. Taravella High School during their 2024 summer school session. The initial test was done so that BCPS could fix any problems with the system and address efficiency issues in time for the 2024-2025 academic year.
At MSD, metal detectors are located at the senior lot, bus loop and front gate entrances, and students must pass through them to enter the school.
In addition to students, all visitors are subject to screening in the front office before they can enter campus. However, this excludes security personnel and other staff members.
“We do not have to go through the metal detectors,” AP Psychology teacher Ronit Reoven said. “They don’t have us, the staff and faculty, go through it. We park, and we walk through the building that we’re heading to, nothing holding us back.”
Many administrators and security personnel had to be trained over the summer in preparation for the implementation of metal detectors.
This way, mornings could run smoothly, without any issues.

Personnel were trained to use the metal detecting wands, and learned how to restart the detectors and perform basic maintenance.
“We had to take a couple classes [about the metal detectors] over the summer, and then we had a test run at the school, with the real thing,” security guard Rashaan Anderson said.
On the first day of school, the metal detecting process was off to a rocky start. Students had to wait in long lines at all of MSD’s entry points. Many were up to 40 minutes late to their first period class, leaving insufficient time for instruction.
“After the first day, we didn’t really change anything, just what students took out of their bags,” Anderson said. “Security was in charge of directing students through the machines, while administrators assisted when needed.”
This led to a tweak in the entry process. Staff advised students to keep binders in bags, unless there were multiple.
They also instructed students to take out water bottles, laptops and tablets and to walk through the detectors with their backpacks on their stomach.
The metal detectors themselves had adjustments made. Their sensitivity was lowered, making it so that smaller items did not set the metal detectors off. After this, the lines were visibly shorter, with faster access to campus.
MSD students differ in their opinions of the metal detectors; some are in favor of them, while others find them to be a troublesome process in the morning.
“I think the metal detectors are ridiculous,” junior Laina Armbrister said. “I’ve been stopped every day for setting it off, and I don’t know why. The lines get really long and can make you late to class which is annoying.”
Other students believe the metal detectors are successful in keeping schools safer.
“I think the metal detectors have helped in general,” senior Vincent Ciullo said. “Even though they have caused some delays getting into school, the metal detectors provide an extra sense of security for me. I believe the school is safer than ever now because of the metal detectors, as they provide a way to discover a threat before it becomes a bigger problem.”
Students have found ways to tolerate the process and make it easier for themselves.
“One way I made the process of going through the detectors easier is to take out whatever metal objects I may have in my bag, like keys or an umbrella, before I even leave my house, just so I can have them in my hand while I’m walking through,” Ciullo said.
Overall, the metal detectors serve as a way to prevent any harmful objects from entering campus, protecting students and staff. They are here to stay and provide stronger security for high schools across Broward County.

This story was originally published in the October 2024 Eagle Eye print edition.