BEAUMONT, Texas — Students in some Beaumont schools will soon be walking through metal detectors before heading to the classrooms.
Beaumont Independent School District’s Thursday evening board meeting had some important topics and updates, but security was top of mind.
The school board passed a budget item to pay for met detectors and other security measures. All seven board members in attendance voted in favor of more security measures.
Board members said the goal is to keep all students safe, and parents said they are open to anything that keeps their children safe.
"I think that they need to do whatever is necessary to protect the children," said Beaumont ISD parent Camille Davis.
Davis said her child doesn't always feel completely safe at school, and that it's a product of the world we live in.
"I don’t remember being in high school and being afraid to go to school or worrying about someone bringing something to school," Davis said.
As of Tuesday night, she can have more peace of mind.
The Beaumont ISD board unanimously passed a $155,000 proposal to add security cameras to six schools and acquire 26 metal detectors and handheld scanners.
"It has always been necessary,” said board president Robert Dunn. “We started a couple years ago at the stadium out there. It’s not that we are any better or any worse than anybody else."
Dunn said it's a move Beaumont ISD needed to make.
"I’m just happy that we’re getting them because it’s about time. A lot of other districts have them, it’s about time BISD got them," Dunn said.
During a pilot program where detectors were used last year at West Brook High, officials said the only downside was a delay for students coming in.
"Of course there was roughly a 15-20 minute delay we anticipate that," said Beaumont ISD Police Chief Joseph Marlborough.
Marlborough said the detectors are another tool in their arsenal to keep children safe. Dunn agrees and hopes parents will feel the same way, too.
"They should feel that we are doing the best we can to keep their baby safe," Dunn said.
A timeline to implement the new security measures was not discussed.