Volume CXIII, Issue 1
The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Tues., Sept. 11, 2018
Security changes testing the mettle of Walnut
ISABEL NISSELY/CHATTERBOX
Students wait to file in through the newly installed metal detectors. Metal detectors were installed over the summer as an answer to a wave of requests for increased school security to combat the epidemic of mass shooting in American elementry and high schools.
Chyna Smith, ‘22
got on a bus and headed to Washington D.C. for the “March For Our Lives” protest. The March For Our Lives was a demonstration led by students pushing for sensible gun control legislation. Consequently, several safety procedures have been put in order by Cincinnati Public Schools, including installing new metal detectors. When asked about her thoughts on these new developments in the school, English teacher Lauren Posta said, “I think if we’re going to have them and we want them to be effective for the purposes of keeping our school safe,
is bad, or it’s raining or when it’s...30 degrees outside if those As Cincinnati mourns the Sept. lines are still going to be happen6 mass shooting in the lobby of ing, and I don’t know if that’s the Fifth Third Center downtown, necessarily safe for our students”. WHHS students continue to see a Assistant Principal Ashley Morreminder of such violence as they gan believes the metal detectors enter school every day. will ultimately be a positive change Beginning on the first day of for the school. “I think they’re goschool, Aug. 15, 2018, WHHS stuing to be effective, we just have a dents got their taste of the newly lot of kinks to work out. Our disinstalled metal detectors. Little trict knows this. Walnut has a very did they know the metal detecunique campus,” Morgan said. tors would cause an unforeseen Principal John Chambers amount of tardies and a line wants to use the metal detectors as stretching from the front door to a way for him to interact with stuthe buses. dents and see the precautions they Bella Tan, ‘22, shared her have to experience. “I’d rather be thoughts on metal detectors: “I there to see the kids come through I think they’re think they are a bit inefficient. Esthan just putting it off on somepecially because of the fact that going to be effective, one else. I want to feel the pain they pick and choose random of the students going through kids to get searched, while we just have a lot of kinks it,” Chambers said. “I want to they let others go to class.” to work out. Our district be right there with the kids SENIOR Kayla Terrell to see their experience of it.” knows this. Walnut has a also agreed, “I thought It seems that the metal detectors are here to stay. This that the installation of the very unique campus. change is impacting most of the metal detectors would make - Assistant Principal people, students and adults, on me feel safer in school than campus. It feels like a big change, beforehand, but ultimately they Ashley Morgan but many see it as only a small just became another obstacle that step to greater school safety. I have to face when trying to get to sure that we first bell on time in the morning.” and making According to a Chatterbox sur- don’t have weapons coming into vey posted on Schoology, 175 the school, they are being used ef- The information provided in this arstudents are not at all satisfied fectively. Yes, I know that there are ticle is accurate as of Sept. 5, 2018. with them and only four are. entrances that students and adults Since the school is still tweaking the Of the students that answered and outside people can get in, use of the metal detectors, The Chatthe survey, the answers were so I don’t know how much safer terbox staff recommends that students split evenly in half between hav- they’re making our building.” take steps to make sure they are aware ing been late to a class because Posta said, “I can see how of the latest policies. As of today, of the metal detectors and not. that could create an unsafe envi- students can be punished for opening On Feb. 14, 2018, a gunman ronment, not just for a school locked doors that do not lead to a metopened fire at Marjory Stoneman shooting, but in general, hav- al detector in an effort let people bypass Douglas High School in Parkland, ing that many students lined up. the metal detector lines. Florida. On March 24, 2018, a And I don’t know how that’s gogroup of students from WHHS ing to work when the weather
Do you feel safer with metal detectors at school? (1 = Not at all, 5 = Much safer)
CHYNA SMITH / CHATTERBOX
As shown by the Schoology survey data above, 201 students don’t feel safer with the newly added metal detectors and only four people do. This data may come as a surprise as the main purpose of the metal detectors was to increase school security. Contrarily, many students feel as if they are proving ineffective and serving more as an inconvenience than a barrier between them and a threat.
How pleased are you that metal detertors are on campus? (0 = Not at all, 10 = Very pleased)
CHYNA SMITH / CHATTERBOX
175 students are not at all pleased by the metal detectors on campus and four students are completely pleased as shown by the data above. The displeasure of students is thought to be a result of the believed ineffectiveness and invasive nature of the metal detectors. Additionally, the time it takes to go through the metal detectors caused many students to receive tardies on the first few days of school.