Little Rock schools mull metal detector installations

LR superintendent points to guns found on campuses

New Little Rock School District Superintendent Dr. Jermall Wright outlines his vision and provides details from his 100-Day Plan during a meeting of the downtown Little Rock Rotary at the Clinton Center on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022...(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford)
New Little Rock School District Superintendent Dr. Jermall Wright outlines his vision and provides details from his 100-Day Plan during a meeting of the downtown Little Rock Rotary at the Clinton Center on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022...(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford)


The Little Rock School Board on Thursday will consider the acquisition of a mobile weapons-detection system to be used in the entryways to the middle and high schools and other sites.

Superintendent Jermall Wright is proposing the use of 35 walk-through metal detectors -- at a cost of $678,864 -- in light of what he said is an increase in the number of weapons discovered on campuses this school year. In information sent to the School Board, Wright said there have been two loaded 9mm guns found at Central High and 14 "facsimile" guns at various campuses, including elementary schools. One facsimile gun with real bullets was found at Hall High.

The metal detector proposal is on the agenda for a 6:15 p.m. Thursday special meeting and work session of the board that will also include:

• Discussion of lengthening the workday for teachers to conform to existing policy beginning in the 2023-24 school year.

• A revisit of the board's earlier commitment to use the Ford Next Generation Learning model of career-themed academies in each of the district's high schools.

• A possible decision on a plan to raise the starting pay of support staff to at least $15 an hour.

The board meeting at 810 W. Markham St., Little Rock, is open to the public and is typically broadcast live on Youtube at LRSDlive.com, on Comcast Cable Channel 4, on U-verse Channel 99 and on lrsdtv.org.

Wright and his staff are recommending that the board approve the use of the Opengate Weapons Detection System as provided by Convergint Technologies, a systems integrator company that would do the installation, training, ongoing service to the system and reporting.

"LRSD has taken several steps to improve safety and security in our schools and offices," Wright told the board in materials for the upcoming meeting.

"Unfortunately, access to real and facsimile-manufactured firearms are becoming more and more prevalent and available nationwide and in our community," he wrote. "We have refrained from installing and utilizing metal detectors in our schools for a variety of well-intentioned student-centered reasons. However, the increase of weapons discovered on our campuses this school year has led the LRSD administration to rethink our approach."

There would be four of the portable units installed at each of Central and Southwest high schools and Pinnacle View Middle School.

Three units are planned for Parkview Magnet, and two each at Hall High and Cloverdale, Dunbar, Forest Heights, Horace Mann, Mabelvale and Pulaski Heights middle schools. West School of Innovation would have one unit.

Other units are designated for the Metropolitan Technical Skills Center, the district's central administration office, and adult and alternate learning centers.

The units, which are in use in the North Little Rock School District, are marketed as allowing people to walk through the detectors with backpacks, cell phones and keys, although metal water bottles and laptops may have to be shown.

The Little Rock district has already taken other steps recently to increase the safety and security of the campuses, and more steps are being explored -- such as requiring students to use clear backpacks.

Earlier this year the School Board approved the purchase of crisis-alert badges and the enforcement of the district's new policy and longtime practice of requiring classroom and exterior school doors to be locked at all times except when students are in transition.

All school security personnel have been required to add additional random scans to their daily activities, according to materials presented to the School Board. And, the district has asked for additional assistance from the Little Rock Police Department in areas near schools where gun violence has been prevalent.

TEACHER WORKDAY

The board is expected to discuss a proposal by Wright and his staff to align the teacher work hours to the hours that they are contracted to work, starting with the 2023-24 school year.

Wright said that there have been memorandums in the recent past to clarify that teachers are to work seven hours and 30 minutes plus a 30-minute lunch time, "but the actual change to work hours has not occurred."

Wright noted in information sent to the School Board for the Thursday meeting that the workday now is short of 6 1/2 hours, not counting the lunch time.

"LRSD has the highest percentage of schools in need of improvement as well as a student body with many more needs collectively than the student bodies of other districts in the state of Arkansas," the superintendent wrote, "yet LRSD teacher work hours are significantly fewer than work hours of teachers in other districts in the state despite being compensated for a seven hour and thirty minute work day."

To ensure that district teachers receive the individual planning time as well as time to do group planning in professional learning communities, "we must align teacher work hours," he said.

Wright said School Board approval is not necessary for him to direct teachers on work hours, but he is seeking board support.

"Currently in LRSD the two time demands for adults and students are in direct conflict with each other," Wright said.

Wright said that he and his staff will work with teacher and leader advisory groups to set elementary and secondary school work schedules. He anticipates that will be completed by Jan. 31 so there is ample notice for the coming school year.


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