By Paul W. Henning
Independent Editor
Last week I wrote a column praising the Van Buren Public School board for the plan to update the security cameras throughout BHS. I sincerely meant this because in this day of shooters and such we need to be ever vigilant using whatever resources we can muster. I have since looked into reasons why we don’t have metal detectors in BHS.
Let’s start with the comment by our previous Superintendent, Mike Van Tassel. His answer is one that I feel didn’t take the question seriously and he quipped “because they look ghetto.” This is like saying that bike helmets “look stupid” so I am not going to wear one. An answer like that ignores the seriousness of the question.
So, I looked for an answer from the current administration and called Superintendent Pete Kudlak.
Mr. Kudlak says that metal detectors are rare in schools because the detectors they can afford are between 54% and 82% accurate. The most accurate detectors he has seen are in the prison system where they have the money to install the upper end of detectors. And you would have to have full-time armed guards to apprehend the violators. We have two Resource Officers to serve all the schools in the district. Also, having them tends to cultivate a false sense of security for the school and the community.
As I write this, another school shooting has taken place in Minneapolis at a Catholic school leaving two children dead. In the same report it was revealed that so far this year there have been so many incidents in the USA that it averages two per week. And these were outside shooters. Who knows what weapons we have in BHS at this very minute.
I’m not convinced. My opinion is that having metal detectors that are catching 54% to 84% of the guns, knives, and other weapons is at least something to combat the threat within.
Please if you agree, contact the Administration Building and tell them to protect our students.