Valdosta City Schools implements new weapons detection system

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Valdosta City Schools has a new security system that’s meant to make school safe for students, staff and families.

On Monday, Aug. 7, Valdosta City Schools students walked through the system which detects weapons of mass casualties.

While some parents have been put at ease, others are still concerned about how the system affects their children.

“I have mixed feelings for a few reasons,” A Valdosta City Schools parent said. “I fully appreciate and understand the necessity. I appreciate the installation of the equipment. They need to do some beta testing and scheduling to see what works. I don’t feel like they need to remove them. They need to stay there, but they definitely need to modify scheduling to offset the impact.”

Sabrina Smith, VCS’s director of school safety, said 80% of Valdosta High School population are bus riders. Only 20% of students who may be affected by tardiness arrive by car or walking.

“There are no tardies as it relates to getting through the system,” Smith said. “In the beginning, first thing people getting to know how the system functions and the flow. The process of traffic is a learning process.”

Valdosta High School is the most populated in the district with 2,220 students. The detection system process begins at 7:35 a.m. and is complete by 7:50 a.m., getting students to class before the tardy bell at 8 am.

“As far as my students coming in every morning, it seems less. The first question I asked my parents were they excited about this. And it was a round of applause by all of our parents. A few of our parents said they were hesitant at first but after coming through it they were happy,” Kevin Daw, S.L. Mason Elementary School principal, said.

The weapons detection system is installed at all Valdosta City School campuses and will be used at all school events, including football games.

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