The Racine Unified School District board during its meeting Monday approved by a 7-1 vote the purchase of five dual-lane scanning systems from the company Evolv Technology. The systems are essentially walkthrough metal detectors that can quickly scan large numbers of people for weapons.
The scanners — plus additional materials, installation and training — will cost RUSD an estimated $508,261.67 over four years.
The scanners will be used at Case, Horlick and Park high schools, as well as at Jerstad-Agerholm and Mitchell K-8 schools. RUSD hopes to have the scanners in place when the second semester resumes in early January, according to Stacy Tapp, RUSD chief of communications and community engagement.
Students will walk through the scanners when entering school in the morning and upon returning to school after an off-campus lunch. Students do not need to take anything out of their bags or pockets unless a scanner detects something. The three scanners that will be used at high schools are waterproof, so can also be used at sporting events.
The aim of the scanners is to detect weapons, namely guns, and thus could prevent mass casualty events.
Metal detectors are currently used daily at Case and randomly at Horlick, Park, Walden III and REAL high schools. Daily detector use began Nov. 16 at Case, which has had multiple incidents involving weapons this year.
RUSD Superintendent Eric Gallien said the scanners are part of a district-wide security plan that includes trauma-informed care and staff training. He noted that the Evolv scanners covering five large schools means that the other metal detectors the district already owns can still be used at other schools as needed.
Every student at Case, Horlick and Park will have to walk through the scanners. It is not yet determined how the scanners will be used at Jerstad-Agerholm and Mitchell K-8 schools; i.e., if only middle school students will have to go through the scanners, or if every child will have to.
"We will work with the school principals to determine the process for our K-8 schools over the next several weeks prior to implementation," Tapp wrote in an email.
Board member Scott Coey voted against the purchase. Coey said he would not vote yes unless scanners were also bought for Gifford K-8 School as well as REAL and Walden III high schools.
"I am very much worried about perception, and unless we're going to put this at Gifford, REAL and Walden, my answer is absolutely no," Coey said.
Coey expressed similar concerns at the Dec. 5 board work session
"I can't support something where the perception is schools with Black and brown students have metal detectors," he said on Dec. 5. "I know that's not the intention, but that's what the community will inevitably see."
Coey also mentioned the impact scanners could have, saying some students told him scanners would make school "feel like a prison."
Gallien said RUSD is trying to make scans as non-intrusive as possible so students are not negatively affected.
"We're asking the board to approve a much safer, much less intrusive process," Gallien said. "We want to just make this a smooth part of their daily process and minimize the disruption."
Board member Matthew Hanser, who had previously voiced his opposition to the Evolv scanners, voted yes because of the non-intrusive nature of the scanners, which he believes are "light-years ahead" of the metal detectors currently being used. However, he said the scanners will not fix all school safety issues.
"I'm going to support it with reservations, because I hope that our community can begin to do better and not have our children have to go through this sort of security screening," Hanser said.
Coey asked about the expected staffing costs to operate the Evolv systems and conduct follow-ups with students carrying something that triggers the scanner.
"There are always some costs, but what we're saying right now (is) our plan is to be as cost-neutral as possible," Gallien replied.
The school district is in the process of reorganizing existing security staff and hiring additional security staff who would help man the scanning systems, but there are no plans locked in yet for how many more staff members would be hired and what the cost would be.
Jody Bloyer, RUSD chief of schools, noted that the scanning systems are effective but not perfect because of human error.
"No system can ever detect everything alone," Bloyer said. "There's always a human element."
Board President Jane Barbian supported the purchase, saying the scanners are an unfortunate necessity.
"Because of the times we're in, the extra layer of safety for our students has to be our priority," Barbian said. "It's unfortunate that we have to do this, but to keep our children safe, our families safe, our future safe, this is the least intrusive way that I think we could do it."
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