Pine View School implements OpenGate weapon detection
By Ivy Morton and Sophia Vitello
Monday morning, parents of children at Pine View School expressed their outrage and frustration for the newly implemented ‘OpenGate’ weapon detection system.
The system created a long line of students sharing a folding table and even the sidewalk, to empty their backpack of particular items.
Parents in the school drop off zone, not wanting to be on camera, but said this is making their student late for class, and they miss valuable learning time.
Other parents say it is unnecessary and questioning when the security measures will stop, telling us they have officers with weapons, and staff locking down facilities multiple times per day.
Other parents noting it is dangerous to have the students congregating outside anyway, questioning if the system is worth it.
Most parents agree – they are sad these precautions have to be taken in the first place.
So far the ‘OpenGate’ system has been implemented at Booker High, Booker Middle, Riverview High, Venice High, and Pine View. Pine View hosted the youngest students to go though this system, starting at second grade.
Items such as laptops and tablets must be taken out of a book bag before it goes through the detection. Even very common school items like three ring binders and metal spiral notebooks must also be removed.
Sarasota County Schools released the following statement:
“The OpenGate system was successfully launched at Pine View School this morning. Students, parents/guardians, school personnel, and visitors have been notified of the launch for the past month through direct notifications from the school, updates on the school website & announcements, and through the PVA.
As with the other district campuses that have launched the system for everyday use this school year, the process was monitored by school personnel and the district’s Safety & Security department. Students were reminded as they moved through the lines to prepare their items for review, following verbal prompts and referencing signage at the entry points. There will be a small learning curve with each launch, as the school community learns the process and acclimates to the time it takes to move through the line. Delayed entries usually resolve within the first few days of implementation.
The district will be launching OpenGate at more campuses this school year as implementation plans are finalized. The safety of all students, teachers, staff members, and visitors to our school campuses is paramount to Sarasota County Schools’ core mission of providing safe, high-quality learning & teaching environments for all.”