VALDOSTA, Ga – The Valdosta City School System may soon join the growing list of school systems investing in metal detectors, with the help of a $30,000 school security grant. 

“I have never had concerns about my children’s safety in Valdosta City Schools,” Eliza McCall told WALB. McCall is the parent of three students in the Valdosta City School System, with one starting high school next year. “Our administrators have done a really good job of making sure that the schools are as safe as they possibly can be,” McCall said.

McCall says she’s not necessarily against the idea of adding metal detectors to the school, but she did voice some concerns, saying  “How do you get all the kids through that in the morning and into class? We wouldn’t want it to cut into instructional time.” 

Dr. Todd Cason, Superintendent of the Valdosta City School System, says these concerns will be addressed appropriately, as well as concerns others have voiced, such as staffing issues, students trying to avoid the metal detectors, and the message it would send to the community. 

“It sends a message that the school is not safe and in reality, it is a really safe facility,” Dr. Cason said. According to the superintendent, it has been suggested to have five on-staff monitors as well as a police officer at each detector, something he acknowledges could cause a problem. 

“I think because of what we have experienced throughout the course of our country, that’s why we’re having these types of conversations,” said Dr. Cason.

While there have been several discussions about making sure each school in the Valdosta City School System is completely safe with state-of-the-art equipment, Dr. Cason says that they are nowhere near making a final decision on the matter.

Dr. Cason says that the issue may be discussed at their next meeting, which will be held on September 10, at the Valdosta City School’s Superintendent’s Office.