Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

My HS was campus style with the rooms facing outside, there were a million ways to get on campus, so, no, no metal detectors or such.

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

Same here. Campus style, at least...oh... 20 or so doors into the school I can think of, at least 8 of which are centrally located enough that you could easily get to almost any of the classrooms quickly and easily.

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

In Virginia, unless your parents provide an 'adaquate' alternative to school, you are required to attend from 5 years old until your are 18 or graduate.

Tristan, there are metal detectors at the Fairfax County Courts complex that you have to pass through to attend any court, including traffic court. Some tickets compel you to attend court

Anyway, I get to play with metal dectors in my chem lab. :D

Wetzel

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

We have them, usually they stay tucked to the side in our main lobby, but, on occasion, they take them out and set them up. When they are in use the policy is that the every fifth person through a door has to go through. I'm pretty sure they look through the bags too, but I'm not certain. (The last time they used them was a while ago and I haven't had to go through one)

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

If I was ever searched by teachers/administrators on "probable cause" based on false grounds I'd seriously consider legal action.

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

my high school has over 4,000 students at it. Last year, there were a couple incidents in which freshmen got into fights, and twice people got stabbed, but that was an odd year. Even after they considered it, there still aren't any metal detectors. (there are around 20-30 entrances, so it'd be impractical)

Really the only safety measure they have is the rule that you're not allowed to wear winter coats indoors, and they don't enforce that too well...

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

You're required to attend some form of school, but not necessarily that particular school. That would offer you an alternative to the search, if you desired it.
In my experience, whether entering an Ontario provincial court or the Supreme Court of Canada, there were no required searches, except on supposedly high-risk cases. You merely had to announce your presence to the guard, and he would permit you to enter at an opportune time. In those few high-risk cases, it was the visitors (who were there at their own option) that were being searched, just prior to their entry into some of the courtrooms; the prisoner was already in custody (subject to search anyway), and it didn't appear that the judge or the lawyers were searched. So I suppose that my Canadian experience is interfering with my impression of the state of American procedure.

There might be a technicality where an automatic metal detector isn't considered a search, and that probable cause exists when it goes off, so that the officer can manually search you. But that's not an interpretation with which I'm familiar.

Unless they're somehow not conducting a search, "every fifth person" is not probable cause. If you were to refuse, would you just be denied entry, or would they attempt to search you forcibly?

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

Nope. Also, on the question of search and seizure at school, one thing stands: you're a minor on state property. AKA you have effectively no rights. So the school can legally search anything you're carrying. However, they need a warrant to search your car if it's parked, unless they have probably cause.

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

The bit about searching the car is correct, though leaving an offending object in plain view generally satisfies probable cause.

But as for the "minor on state property" doctrine, that's not how U.S. law works. I looked briefly into the details, and it looks like there is a narrow exemption of the probable cause rules; instead, the "reasonableness" of the search is at issue. According to the Supreme Court decision in New Jersey v. T. L. O.*, while the school can act in loco parentis (meaning that the parents delegate their responsibility and authority to the school), the school is also a representative of the state, and must therefore obey the Fourth Amendment. In the majority opinion, it was written:

1. The Fourth Amendment's prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures applies to searches conducted by public school officials and is not limited to searches carried out by law enforcement officers. Nor are school officials exempt from the Amendment's dictates by virtue of the special nature of their authority over schoolchildren. In carrying out searches and other functions pursuant to disciplinary policies mandated by state statutes, school officials act as representatives of the State, not merely as surrogates for the parents of students, and they cannot claim the parents' immunity from the Fourth Amendment's strictures. Pp. 333-337. [469 U.S. 325, 326]

2. Schoolchildren have legitimate expectations of privacy. They may find it necessary to carry with them a variety of legitimate, non-contraband items, and there is no reason to conclude that they have necessarily waived all rights to privacy in such items by bringing them onto school grounds. But striking the balance between schoolchildren's legitimate expectations of privacy and the school's equally legitimate need to maintain an environment in which learning can take place requires some easing of the restrictions to which searches by public authorities are ordinarily subject. Thus, school officials need not obtain a warrant before searching a student who is under their authority. Moreover, school officials need not be held subject to the requirement that searches be based on probable cause to believe that the subject of the search has violated or is violating the law. Rather, the legality of a search of a student should depend simply on the reasonableness, under all the circumstances, of the search. Determining the reasonableness of any search involves a determination of whether the search was justified at its inception and whether, as conducted, it was reasonably related in scope to the circumstances that justified the interference in the first place. Under ordinary circumstances the search of a student by a school official will be justified at its inception where there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the search will turn up evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law or the rules of the school. And such a search will be permissible in its scope when the measures adopted are reasonably related to the objectives of the search and not excessively intrusive in light of the student's age and sex and the nature of the infraction. Pp. 337-343.

Also, it's important to also note that there was a dissenting opinion (voiced by three of nine justices) that any such search (without probable cause) was a violation of the Constitution. (If ever re-examined by the Court, the points raised in dissent will also be considered.)

So I reiterate: by the standard in T.L.O. (i.e. existing case law), you can't single out every fifth person for search, because there is no reasonable way to believe that searching them will uncover a violation. The law in this case is a little less restrictive than the usual standard of probable cause, but it still requires a good reason for the search to take place. And this applies only when the school is acting in loco parentis—in general, the state must still satisfy probable cause before searching you. (Actually, this brings up an interesting point—what happens when a security guard or a police officer searches you as part of a reasonable in-school search? Can the school's parental role be further transferred to the officer/guard? Sounds like a job for SCOTUS.)

Amazingly enough, you still have rights, even as a minor attending school.

*T.L.O. is an anonymous defendant.

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

My school does not have them, nor do any other schools in the immediate area. Personally, I would not mind more school security. All we have is a Sherrif who walks around on occassion and a mean lady in a golf cart who gives you parking violations. Funny how NEITHER were present 2 years ago when 6 kids (on different days) had their cars broken into by construction workers across the street.... However, I do wish we had the locking door jazz and metal detectors to give a little bit more (false) sense of security...

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

Jospeh C. Wilson Magnet high school has metal detectors (at both buildings). I think most of the Rochester City school district high schools have them.

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

A lot of you are saying that your school has a ton of entrances, so it would be near impossible to have that many metal detectors. I applaud all of your schools for meeting fire safety codes, however there is another solution (it's not perfect) to having a security checkpoint at your school. Lock the doors.

From the outside of course, this would cause all of your students and faculty to use the same doors. It's not perfect (like people going in, and then opening the doors for others to sneak in) but hey, they do it at my school, and they have at least 20-40 entrances, but only 2 or so are open for people to use in the morning (drives the general populous insane). My school doesn't have metal detectors, but we have an armed township police officer, a "student resource officer" assigned to our school.

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

Every 5th person is a plausible search reason. Living close to an international border (canada) they often pull over every nth car for a random search.

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

It's no secret. Although I live in the nice suburb of South Meriden, the high school which I attend in Meriden, CT would definitely qualify as an inner-city school. Even though crime levels may be elevated in the downtown and inner-city areas of my town, I've never felt unsafe at my high school. Ever. I don't have a lock on my locker, and nothing has ever been stolen from me. We don't have metal detectors. We don't have random searches. We also don't have huge problems with bullying or fights (I have never seen a single student - ever - being bullied in the past four years).

We have some cliques as does any high school, but they never cause problems. I get along just fine with practically everyone at my school, whether they're jocks, band geeks, average kids, or just robotics nerds. lol But seriously, I'm not a football player, but I could sit down at the football player's unofficial lunch table and they'd be like, "Hey, it's Art Dutra! How's it going, man?".

During the day time, most of the doors in the school are locked except for the main entrance, but it's no secret that seniors who have driver's licenses often skip study hall, sneak out a back or side entrance, go to a local McDonald's or the similar venue, and then come back to school. Sometimes (although it's against the 'rules') the teachers ask the students to pick up food for them on their way out and they'll 'cover' for them while they're gone. ;) This is actually quite common during holiday seasons when students will run out to the local supermarket a block away to pick up stuff to have parties in school.

On the whole, everyone at my high school is pretty chill about everything. No one makes problems, no problems arise. It's all good. :)

Re: Does your school have metal detectors?
 

Pontiac Central High School - Team 47 Chief Delphi.

Yes our school uses airport style detectors for all students and guests to walk though as well as every backpack or package is scanned by a conveyor style scanner like at the airport. Additionally a wand is used for detailed inspection by security staff.

We have a full time police officer within the school.

All students must remove coats and pass them through the package scanner upon entry.

All students are required to have a school picture ID for entrance. Students without ID are sold a new one for $5 or sent home.

No cell phones, MP3Players or electronics are allowed in the school. If found they are taken and returned only to a parent after a 1 week waiting period.

All students are required to wear a collared shirt.
All shirts MUST be tucked in at all times.
Pants must have a belt and cannot "Sag".
No hats or head covering are allowed.
Violation of dress code is a suspension.

Hoodies are not allowed to be worn in the halls or classrooms and must be put into lockers.

Also, full video monitoring in commons, hallways and outside.

Rules apply to all male and female students.