Photo: Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images
Houston high schoolers will have to go through new weapons detection systems at school starting next semester.
Houston ISD announced that high school campuses will have metal detectors beginning in the spring semester after there have been more instances of confiscated weapons. According to Houston ISD police chief Shamara Garner, there have been more than 10 guns confiscated at schools since the start of the school year.
Retired HPD Captain Greg Fremin said HISD is correct in taking this measure at their high schools.
"This is unfortunately the sign of the times that we are living in right now," Fremin said, a 34-year veteran of law enforcement. "It's unfortunate that we've come to this but for the protection of our children, it's a much needed asset that we have to implement."
Students will be asked to walk through portable OpenGate systems with their bags on. The systems will detect the items in the bags without the kids having to remove them from their person. Laptops will have to be taken out prior to walking through the detection lanes. School staff and Houston Police will assist.
The metal detectors used at the schools will be similar to ones used at sporting events or concerts.
Fremin said it's a combination of a few things that have led young kids towards getting a hold of weapons like firearms and then bringing them to school or taking them places that they don't need to be.
"I can tell you unequivocally that the overwhelming contributing factor to this is social media, it's the internet and it's a lack of strong parenting skills at home," he said.
Fremin, a former professor in the Criminal Justice department at University of Houston Downtown and at Sam Houston State, believes students, who deal with plenty of mental health hurdles at a young age, are getting caught up in how certain things are talked about on the internet that could ultimately lead them damaging themselves further or hurting others.
"You've got a lot of young men and women that are having some mental challenges and all they have to do is watch something be glamorized on TV or social media," said Fremin.
The number of school-related threats and gun confiscations at HISD schools made so far this year is currently on a trend that would beat out the number of threats made last school year.