KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha Unified School District officials have released new details about how metal detectors will be rolled out at local high schools, weeks after the school board unanimously approved the security measure amid growing concerns about weapons on school grounds.
In a message sent Friday to families, students and staff, Superintendent Dr. Jeff Weiss confirmed the district will begin installing CEIA OPENGATE weapons detection systems at all Kenosha high schools shortly after spring break. The portable walk-through detectors will be used daily at school entrances as part of the district’s broader safety plan.
District officials say the systems are designed to allow students to enter buildings quickly while still screening for weapons and other prohibited items. The detectors will be similar to those commonly used at large public events such as concerts, sporting venues and festivals.
The announcement follows a unanimous vote by the Kenosha School Board last month approving both the metal detector plan and a related update to district search policies. District leaders said the move was intended to strengthen school safety after growing concerns about weapons being brought onto school property.
According to the district, staff training on the detectors will take place before the systems are deployed. The rollout will begin in mid-April and proceed in phases across the district’s high schools.
The scheduled deployment timeline is expected to begin April 15 at Bradford High School, followed by Hillcrest High School on April 16. Indian Trail High School and Academy is scheduled for April 22, with LakeView Technology Academy the following day. Tremper High School is expected to begin using the detectors April 29, followed by Harborside and Reuther on April 30.
Students will walk through the detectors each morning while carrying their backpacks and personal belongings. If the system alerts, school staff will conduct a brief secondary screening consistent with the district’s Student Searches and Security Screenings policy.
District officials emphasized that the system does not record personal information or images of students. Instead, it simply alerts staff when metal objects or items that may require further inspection are detected.
Families are also being encouraged to help prepare students for the change. District officials suggested that students avoid bringing items that may trigger alerts, such as metal lunch boxes or metal pencil cases, and replace them with plastic or cloth alternatives when possible.
The district says additional information and training materials will be provided to students ahead of the rollout so they understand how the screening process will work.
The move represents one of the most visible security upgrades in Kenosha schools in recent years and marks the district’s latest effort to address safety concerns while maintaining efficient entry procedures for thousands of students each day.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.’
.
29 Responses
I wonder what the protocol will be if a student refuses to stop if they beep? Would a lockdown be called? Will physical force be used to stop the student that just set off a detector? If the detectors malfunction one day, do they still have school, or just go without scanning? What if a student beeps and then turns around and walks out to avoid being checked? These are all going to happen, what response can we parents expect?
I guess if they beep and refuse, parents should be summoned and the issue discussed privately with school authorities. If it’s an implant, it should be handled one way. If it’s a concealed weapon, a referral to juvenile intake would be warranted.
DIEversity is our strength.
Metal detectors seem kind or harsh. KUSD has only had one murder in school in the last few years…….
One too many! Jesus!
RUSD has had metal detectors for over 25 years. Clearly you haven’t read the news lately…
And staff….will they also pass through the detectors? Probably not…that could create a difficult situation.
If a kid activates the beep, he/she is then singled out to now be wanded (metal detector handheld wand.). If the student just says “thats just my nipple piercing” or “thats my genital piercing”- what is the next step to ensure it is not a weapon??? Does the school resource officer make sure what the metal object is? Most likely will be a THC vape that hundreds of kids carry in daily to get high; and they hide it in their underwear because they can’t be searched in that area. So if staff has confirmed through 2 methods that there is a unconfirmed metal object in a kids underwear- Do they get to just come in anyway with an unconfirmed metal object?
If you beep and can’t explain the beep, you should go home until you can not beep honestly. At an airport what would TSA do? If you just walked past after beeping, you’re getting tazed and arrested because you’re a potential threat.
Otherwise metal detectors are only a $500,000.00 piece for show.
If the mag beeps and the student refuses to comply, parents should be called and the issue discussed privately with school authorities. If the cause is an implant, it should be cleared each time the minor goes through, with the student’s privacy fully respected. Privacy must be mandatory in cases involving implants and similar matters concerning minors. The city should hire a qualified security expert to ensure proper protections are in place and that all rights are respected. At least two individuals will be needed to effectively run the operation.
So if a student has a metallic object (gun, knife,etc…..its unknown; which is why they have to identify) should they let them stand inside the commons with 1000 students with the object until their parent answers? I’m sorry, it should be run the same as TSA. No messing around, comply or leave. Wait outside until your parents call then I guess and you can verify a metal implant (rare occurrence) If a student has an implant, I suspect the nurses office would already know because they would have been seen with crutches, sling, and/or the nurse would have dispensed meds for them during the school day and so on, like they have with my kids.
If the detectors aren’t going to be used effectively, just get a couple “Gun free zone” signs and call it a day.
You honestly think parents are gonna care? They’ll yell at the school for not “lettin my kid in” and the ones that actually work won’t take time off to come get their kid.
News flash, not all weapons are metalic, ……Uuuuumm,
Ya, I’ve been working on my potato based weapons for years, I’ve yet to perfect them. Ice knives?
Bravo. Every school should have a detector.
We have finally become one with Milwaukee and chicago
Racine has had metal detectors in high schools for over 25 years…
was this a NO BID contract?
RFP (Request for Proposal)
3 vendor quotes
formal sealed bids
Ha! Yeah right. That tax-theft ring does whatever it wants.
Day late, dollar short.
The idea is not only to set up a security checkpoint but also to know how to run it. With minors involved, you’ll need a Fourth Amendment reminder and a sign stating that once you pass this point, you are subject to security checks. You’ll also need both a female and a male staff member, witnesses, and parental consent—just to start.
Male/female staff is a funny proposition- a lesbian female gym teacher (attracted to females) can oversee high school girls changing, even though they’re attracted to the sex that’s changing….. so is it better to have a homosexual pat down the sex there atttacted to vs the sex they aren’t attracted to? That whole idea has been weird to me since when “domestic partners” were on teachers health insurance before gay marriage was legal in WI, and the homosexual gym teachers and coaches with “ domestic partners “ documented through HR (for benefits) supervised teenagers changing that were the sex they were attracted to.
What about metal binders or metal on note books or other metal items
Will KUSD also do this for games, graduation, choral fest, band a rama? Those people deserve to be safe too. KUSD has a lot of planning and exact policy of what happens with a beep/detection if the person is defiant or oppositional/hostile.
Is this a public appeasement or a public feel good measure? Let’s try and be honest and ask what else in the name of safety are these schools to do??? We live in a pretty sketchy society now and these metal detectors are a step toward righting the ship if that’s even possible. It starts from the homes for the most part with exceptions to some individuals.
Broken society with potentially compounded fractured society. The future is ours to fix but unless we are willing to change….
How is KUSD informing kids on this procedure and how it goes? (Assembly?) Will KUSD explain to the students (and parents) what happens if a student is not compliant with the procedures at the scan point ? These things should be in writing so the people running the security and the students know what to expect, and how to act/react to the procedure.
Will the students that come in before school for weightlifting be scanned, or do athletes get a pass ? No athlete would ever commit a violent act…..
Metal lunchboxes or pencil holders? I can’t even believe this comment came from the school board. Property taxes will be …..fine next year? Buy large container of Vasoline cause you’re going to need it.
Ah yes, furthering the indoctrination of a police state where big brother is always watching because people can’t do what is right. Ridiculous.