Metal Detectors Cause Long Delays for Broward Students on First School Day

On Monday morning, Broward County high schools looked more like Transportation Security Administration checkpoints than campuses where students were returning for the first day of school.

Beginning this school year, Broward high school students have to walk through metal detectors upon entering the building, as required by the Broward School Board. The school district also instituted a cellphone ban for all students during school hours, which has incensed many students and parents.

Videos and pictures from the county's first day of school on August 12 showed hundreds of kids in line waiting to pass through the metal detectors. Students and parents were outraged by the chaos.

The lines were so backed up that students were still waiting by the time the bell rang and the first period began.

The metal detectors debut is less than smooth in Broward. Hundreds of students were still in line at West Broward High School seven minutes after first period began. Similar scenes happening at other high schools. Story at noon on @nbc6. pic.twitter.com/5NRZUT7Ipf

— Ari Odzer (@ariodzernbc6) August 12, 2024

Sun Sentinel journalist Scott Travis wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that some school administrators decided to scrap the metal detectors as the lines were not letting up.

I’m hearing @browardschools gave up on metal detectors today and just let kids in without going through metal detectors re fixing this was a total disaster.

— Scott Travis (@smtravis) August 12, 2024

An X user added that his school also gave up on the metal detectors 40 minutes after school started with dozens of students still waiting.

"The metal detectors suck," he wrote. "They gave up on them 40 minutes after school started (line was still huge) and just let everyone in."

the metal detectors suck, they gave up on them 40 minutes after school started (the line was still huge) and just let everyone in pic.twitter.com/8ameZEVznL

— jams (cats and dead team fan) (@j_vmess) August 12, 2024

One parent said Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland was a "shit show" this morning. He added that his daughter waited nearly two hours in line for the metal detectors.

"The bright idea of metal detectors had kids wrapped around the school," the parent wrote. "Parents had to drop kids off blocks away so they could get in line. My daughter just went in from being dropped off at 7:30. @browardschools Thanks for nothing."

Longtime radio personality Brian "The Beast" London said his kid's metal detector experience was the opposite of smooth.

Kid was dropped off at his @browardschools highschool at 7:15. He actually got to the metal detectors at 8:15, and got to class at 8:30. Bell rings at 7:40. Fantastic job @browardschools pic.twitter.com/jAMSV4y3Ku

— The Beast M.B.A. (@MiamiRadioBeast) August 12, 2024

John Sullivan, chief communications and legislative affairs officer for Broward Schools, took to X to apologize for the madness Monday morning after parents and students expressed their frustrations online. The county will be making "necessary adjustments" to speed up the process, according to his statement.

"We apologize to @browardschools high school students and families for the long lines and wait times at the metal detectors this morning," Sullivan wrote. "We sincerely thank our students for their patience."

We apologize to @browardschools high school students and families for the long lines and wait times at the metal detectors this morning. We sincerely thank our students for their patience. Please remember to avoid bringing metal items or remove them from your bag as you approach…

— John J Sullivan (@Johnjsully) August 12, 2024