Hempfield Area considering search policy changes in wake of gun incidents

Hempfield Area School District may soon have more leeway on how frequently students can be searched for contraband, amid rising parent and student concerns following security incidents at the district.

A new section to the district’s search policy, defining rules for the use of metal and weapons detectors, was approved for 30-day review at a board meeting at Hempfield Area School District on Monday. It will be voted upon at a school board meeting in November.

The altered policy would allow the district to conduct searches of students and their belongings with metal or weapons detectors regardless of whether there has been a recent security incident at the district.

“Before, our policy kind of limited us to reasonable suspicion or an incident at the school,” said board solicitor Krisha DiMascio. “(This will) make it be able to be utilized daily, regardless of the distance between an incident.”

DiMascio explained the policy would allow for daily or random searches as authorized by the superintendent. The text of the policy clarifies random searches on selected days could be called for “particular safety concerns,” such as “following articulated threats, or on days on which special events such as athletic competitions, social events or dignitary visits are held.”

Both types of search have been used in response to an Oct. 2 incident at the district, in which officials and police caught three boys with two loaded handguns — a .38-caliber and a .22-caliber — on a school bus and in a school bathroom, prompting a lockdown that lasted several hours.

A student was also accused and arrested on Oct. 11 for threatening violence on social media at Wendover Middle School, but police found no evidence of explosive activity at his home, and while firearms were found in the home, the student did not have them.

High school students were searched with metal detector wands before entering the high school building for several days following the Oct. 2 incident, and sporadic searches have continued.

With the new policy, anyone who enters the school building would have to abide by the search rules, whether student or visitor. The policy also leaves room for different types of equipment, as the district’s safety committee has discussed multiple kinds of detector technology, but is still determining which one might be best to use.

“There’s a lot of technology out there, and I think they want to vet everything, and make sure that we are not just (having a) knee-jerk reaction,” DiMascio said. “We want to make sure we are getting the latest and greatest, and what is going to be best for the district.”

Students, parents speak

Some parents and students have spoken about their concerns around the district’s safety response since the incident.

At Monday’s meeting, Nick Miller, a senior at Hempfield and treasurer of the student council, expressed his frustration with how the district has handled the security incidents so far. He wished the district would communicate more with students on security issues.

“We’re disappointed as students, and disgusted with the way things are being handled with the situation. Kids are scared,” he said. “A threat in May last (school) year where we had to get searched, (and) two kids bringing in two weapons loaded to school is next level. That should be a big deal, and it is. What are you guys going to do? The longer you wait and do random searches, kids feel like it’s a game. What if something happens when you don’t do a search?”

School board candidate and district parent Erin Johns Speese said the district should consider mental health services in the context of the incidents and should communicate more clearly with everyone.

“The toll of worrying about violence in school is taking a serious effect on our students…They want some collaborative solutions,” she said. “We need to make a better effort to communicate with kids, with parents—they just need to know what’s going on. I think you will give students a measure of safety to know you are taking it seriously.”

Board member Mike Alfery, who is chair of the newly-formed board safety and security committee said that the committee talked about next steps at a meeting last week, with a portion of the discussion in executive session.

“We talked about metal detectors, we talked about weapons detectors, we talked about ways to use them, which ones to use. We are still getting information on that,” he said. “We are currently getting information from other districts, whether it’s in the county or other areas that have had a lot of success. We want to get you guys back to using your activity period, and we don’t want to take as much time out of your day, and don’t want you to have the fear.”

He suggested creating a student-based committee that could sit in on public portions of the meeting.

“I understand your frustration 100%, I really do,” Alfery said. “We are doing as much as we can in front of everybody as we possibly can.”

Board president Paul Ward said that another meeting of the security committee will be announced soon.