State schools chief says metal detectors not a practical response to threats

A series of threats at Seattle area public schools and universities followed the shootings at Marysville-Pilchuck High last month. But don’t expect the widespread installation of metal detectors as a way to increase school safety.

State Schools Superintendent Randy Dorn said requests for enhanced security at school entrances is understandable, but it’s often not very practical.

“There’s usually more than one main entrance. In fact, usually, there are 25-30 at a big campus like that, so it would be very difficult to do metal detectors and then do you have the resources for the people to man the metal detectors?”

In an interview on KIRO Radio Wednesday, Dorn said that communication between parent and child, as well as monitoring of social media activity, is an important strategy to prevent school violence. He said parents usually pay for their child’s cell phone, so it’s reasonable that parents, not school staff, monitor a child’s use of social media.

“Parents can have an app that does it and see what their kids have posted on social media and which sites they’ve gone to,” he said.

The state Legislature has worked on school safety legislation, such as mapping schools and coordinating services, but Dorn conceded that that is most useful after an emergency.

Dorn said despite high profile shootings, the data shows that schools are generally safe. He said the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has posted information about school security on its website.

Since the fatal shootings at Marysville-Pilchuck High School that left four students dead, several schools have been subject to threats, including North Kitsap High, the University of Washington, Pacific Cascade Middle School in Issaquah, Auburn Riverside High School, Seattle Pacific University, and Center School in Seattle.