Every now and then, usually when I’m waiting in an extra long security line at 8:55, I realize that other schools don’t have to deal with the inconvenience of leaving an extra 10 minutes early just to avoid being late when one of the x-ray machines inevitably breaks down. Our security system is here to protect us and keep our school safe, but one can’t help but feel that the way it is currently being run isn’t working for most students.
A big problem in many schools is the amount of contraband and banned items that seem to fill the halls. Our security system plays a huge part in making sure no weapons, illegal substances, or anything else that might pose a threat to the school, gets in the building. The policy when finding one of these items is to confiscate it, and hold it until the end of the day, when you can then go to the security office and pick up the item yourself, or with a parent or teacher present if necessary.
Despite this strict policy, it seems that the actual contraband is making it through security while random students are facing the inconvenience of having to give up their personal belongings for no clear reason. This method is ineffective and completely defeats the purpose of the x-ray machines if all they’re being used for is to show security that I have a plastic knife that clearly needs to be taken away.
Another issue many students face is the complete unreliability of our machinery. Security machines are constantly breaking down, causing lines to snake out the door and students to be late to first period. There are only five machines in the entire building to service over 2,500 students, already a recipe for disaster. So when even one of these machines break down, the situation quickly devolves; security guards get overwhelmed and are forced to rush people through, this means they aren’t able to adequately look over student bags and due to the rush, students often leave their belongings behind or forget to check in.
It’s important to note that many of these problems are simply due to a lack of funding and outdated machinery, and are not the fault of our security staff. Nevertheless, I don’t understand how all these problems aren’t motivation to put more money into making our security system more effective, rather than just buying the football team chipotle every time they have a game. If these problems continue to get worse, JR runs the risk of facing safety issues, which is a threat to the student body. Our security system needs some attention, and it needs it now.
