FILE:  JCAB-R

Cf:  JCAB, JCAB-P, JCDAE

 

METAL DETECTOR GUIDELINES

 

 

GENERAL GUIDELINES

 

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14:95 and La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:416 prohibit the possession or carrying of weapons (firearms, knives or other implements or instruments) which can be used as weapons on School Board property or at school sponsored activities.  The unauthorized possession of electronic telecommunication devices or facsimile system on School Board property or school sponsored events is also prohibited by La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:239.

 

In light of incidences of school violence and possession of weapons on school campuses nationwide, and, in furtherance of the law, the Cameron Parish School Board recognizes that it has an obligation to take all steps designed to provide a safe environment for the students and staff under its jurisdiction.  Therefore, the Cameron Parish School Board authorizes the use of metal detectors to minimize the presence of weapons on school campuses.  Metal detectors on school campuses may be used by law enforcement agencies or school personnel or a combination of both parties.  All guidelines in the School Board's policy manual concerning searches (FILES: JCAB, Student Searches, and JCDAE, Electronic Telecommunication Devices) will apply when metal detectors indicate the presence of an item on a student or non-student's person.  The use of metal detectors will be approved by the school principal prior to the implementation of a search utilizing metal detectors.

 

The use of metal detectors for the search of students and/or non­students will be in accordance with the following guidelines:

 

1.

The school administrator or designee of the Superintendent shall, except when otherwise specifically ordered by a law enforcement officer, be in charge of the detection process and shall make such decisions and issue such orders as the employee shall deem appropriate for the circumstances.

 

2.

The individuals using the metal detectors will receive training on techniques for proper use of metal detectors.

 

3.

Searches may be either random or general: (see examples)

 

Ex: 

Random - Search every third student entering school, every other bus load, or every other classroom, etc.

 

Ex: 

General - All students or spectators at an event as they enter or all students at school today.

 

4.

The school administrator will develop procedures that ensure that the search does not allow students or non-students to be omitted if they are part of the group to be searched.  Additionally, the school administrator should develop procedures that will be the least intrusive to the daily educational environment.

 

5.

Metal detectors use shall not be malicious, done willfully or deliberately with the intent to embarrass, humiliate, harass, or intimidate students or non-students.

 

6.

No person shall selectively use a metal detector on one student or non-randomly selected group of students except:

 

A.

On reasonable suspicion that a weapon will be found.

 

B.

Due to reasonable personal fear based on circumstances present or past that a weapon may be present.

 

In the event of such reasonable selective use of a detector, the employee may request local law enforcement personnel to be present during the search process.

 

7.

Where schools choose to subject patrons who attend extracurricular events to metal detector searches, the school administrator will post a sign at the entrance of gymnasiums, stadiums, fields, etc. stating that attendance constitutes acceptance of a metal detector search.

 

8.

When the metal detection search policy is first implemented, students will be notified by announcements on the school public address system over a period of days.  Thereafter, general announcements will be made to remind students of the policy.  The student handbook will inform the students of the School Board policy of using metal detectors for searches.  The parents or guardian will also be made aware of the use of metal detectors at school and at extracurricular activities.  This notice shall be done in a way to reasonably ensure that the parents, guardian or public have received the notice.  Students and nonstudents will be made aware that they are subject to being searched by a metal detector any time that they are on school board property.

 

9.

The use of a metal detector will require the detector to be passed along the front, back, and both sides of the person being scanned without touching the body.  The person using the metal detector may be of either gender, regardless of the gender of the person subject to the detection process.

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. Stat. Ann. §§17:416, 17:416.3

State v. Stein, 203 Kan. 638 456 P.2d (1969)

Board minutes, 7-13-98

 

Cameron Parish School Board