What you need to know about our new security policies
November 1, 2022
Like many institutions across America, Bethel is revamping its approach to security in response to a national increase in school disturbances and heightened tensions. Most of you have already experienced a few of our new school policies, but here is what you need to know.
At the start of the day at Bethel, you are now only permitted to use the front entrance or a door in the courtyard, a change from previous years when anyone could enter through any doorway. Right inside both of these entryways are new metal detectors. Before walking through the detectors, you will pass off your Chromebooks and bags for inspection.
Last year, the US Department of Education released a report on the “Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in US Public Schools in 2019-20.” According to this report, only 8% of schools surveyed required daily metal detector checks. By adding metal detectors, Bethel has joined the ranks of the few public schools with this tool in place.
School Resource Officer Dye shared, “I do think that they [metal detectors] are effective, … [but] students are still adjusting.”
Our new metal detectors are the most visible sign of the change in policies, but they extend further than the doorway. Another major change is that teachers have been provided with key fobs to open certain designated doors. Using fobs will better enable security to monitor who is entering and leaving Bethel, and hopefully prevent suspicious individuals from wandering in.
Principal Travis Oliver revealed, “We are giving them [teacher’s] key fobs to four main entrances of the school, so they won’t have to look for those sets of keys anymore.” He added, “The system registers who’s coming in and out of the building, what time they went in, and allows them to access the building at certain locations.”
Immediate reactions among students to the new, heightened security measures have been mixed. Everyone agrees on the need for improvements to our security infrastructure. So some feel the new measures are long overdue, while others question their usefulness.
“We need more heavy set security,” said a student at Bethel. “I feel like they [the metal detectors] are pointless; they are not effective.” Another student disagreed, sharing, “The metal detectors can make you later, but for what it’s worth it makes the school safer.”
Like the students, the security staff too have expressed happiness with the direction of the new security measures. Since they are on the front lines, their feedback is encouraging. “To my knowledge, we have more help now than last year,” remarked Valentine, a security guard here at Bethel. He did acknowledge, “We do need to put the foot down more and be firm with the students.”
The first and foremost goal of the new security measures is to keep the students and staff of Bethel safe, to protect our learning environment. Some members of the Bethel community have reservations, but most are cautiously optimistic that these changes will make a real difference.
J.L • Feb 23, 2023 at 12:11 pm
personally, i get where they’re coming from and wanting us to be kept safe but to be honest it doesn’t really work. There are more safer ways to where not to put us in a position to be feeling like a prisoner.
Kaitlyn R • Nov 10, 2022 at 1:42 pm
I’m glad that the school is trying to do something to protect the students, but the metal detectors do need some improvement. Sometimes they go off and sometimes they don’t, even if I have the exact same items in my backpack.
Anonymous • Nov 10, 2022 at 10:05 am
i think the metal dectector’s are a bit too much and the bag checking i understand where its coming from our safety but i shouldnt feel like going to school like a jail instead of getting my education.
Anonymous • Nov 4, 2022 at 11:43 am
Considering it’s my first year here i have always wondered why there were so many security guards and metal detectors.
WT • Nov 4, 2022 at 11:42 am
It’s nice that the school is at least doing something to protect the students. However, the bag checks are rarely enough because all they do is briefly check and if they don’t find anything on the surface they let you go.
F.S • Nov 4, 2022 at 11:38 am
I feel like the medal detectors are useful for the safety of the school, but at the same time I feel like there should be a faster way to go through because it does hold back students from getting where they need to go on time. I also feel like their are enough security and safety checks often if any students enter the property of the school without going through the detectors.
mdb • Nov 4, 2022 at 11:37 am
pretty good article! I wish it did have more quotes from people though.
Hayleigh Redfearn • Nov 4, 2022 at 11:37 am
I think the metal detectors are a little much I feel like I am in a jail not a school, I understand where there coming from but its just a little much.
DP • Nov 4, 2022 at 11:36 am
I really like how imformative this article is. I had a lot of questions about why security was tightened around here, and this answered them. A nice quick read. Thank You!
ashani • Nov 4, 2022 at 11:35 am
I do not know why we even have security the metal detectors barely work and students can still bring weapons in. but this article is sort of informative.