Two schools in the Phoenix Union High School District are testing out an advanced weapons detection system meant to identify and deter anyone thinking of bringing a gun to campus.
Maryvale High School is joining in on the pilot program, putting in these weapon-specific detectors in the last week all in the name of keeping students safe.
It is a new routine for the high schoolers at Maryvale, and it could prevent what is sadly no longer unimaginable.
"Like I feel like it shouldn't have got this far, you know, but our safety is first,” said Cindy Rodriguez, a senior.
"I feel like a lot of us… we think about it, but we don't really think it's going to be us,” said Fernando Garcia, another senior.
The detectors pick up the specific composition of firearms and other weapons. It is the second week that students at Maryvale are using the system. They are also in place at Bostrom High.
Students only have to remove their laptops before entering. The school district’s goal is to prevent firearms from making it onto campuses.
"In September, we had a student who ended up… we came to know that he had a firearm after the fact,” said Maryvale High School Principal John Doherty.
"We have the sole responsibility of keeping our kids safe, and thinking outside the box and doing these different things are one way to ensure their safety so that they can get the education they deserve,” said Jesse Hoover, a math teacher.
By creating a more secure learning environment, the district hopes attendance rates will also improve from the previous year. And it is something students do not seem to mind.
"Makes me feel pretty safe knowing that we're catching the littlest amount of things going into school,” said Garcia.
The pilot program will last 10 to 12 weeks before the school board will make a long-term decision.
