Broward students start first day of school with metal detectors, cellphone policy changes
FORT LAUDERDALE - Broward public school students are facing new realities as they return to classrooms on Monday for the first day of the new year.
Broward has the sixth largest school system in the country with over 250,000 students, 31,000 employees and more than 320 schools, centers, technical colleges and charter schools.
In the district's 32 high schools, students will have to pass through metal detectors. Students will be allowed to walk through with their book bags but the district warns some common items like laptops, binders with metal spines and even umbrellas and sunglasses cases will set off the machine's alarm. If a metal detector goes off, students will go to a second station to be wanded.
The number of metal detectors at each school varies based on the number of students at that school and the size.
On the first day of the new metal detectors, long lines formed. Some students said it took more than 40 minutes to get through the line.
"It's unacceptable how long this line is outside of the school," said Fort Lauderdale High School sophomore Imani Kornegay.
"It's good for safety but it's not very fun waiting," said West Broward High School sophomore Cali Caraway.
Long lines were also reported at J.P Taravella High School in Coral Springs, McArthur High School in Hollywood, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
"It's a lot. I came on the bus. I walked out over here. It's a big line. It's a big line. It's going to be a while," said sophomore Julloid Nelson.
"It's definitely going to be a little hectic getting to class in the morning. I'm worried about being late," said junior Samantha Ally.
Parents said despite the long waits, they feel good with the extra layer of protection.
"It's best they do what they have to do to keep the kids safe," said Sean Davis.
"For the safety of everyone I think it's vitally important," said Andrew Craig.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn said it's the first day and he expects these lines to get shorter in the coming days and weeks.
"We have some a little small delays with the metal detectors, but as the days go by it will get more efficient," he said.
"Parents and high school students, make sure you exercise some patience today," said Hepburn during a stop at a school bus depot in Southwest Ranches. "We do expect a little bit of a delay but exercise some patience as we get that and make the process more efficient in the days to come. We are so excited for this first day of school."
Another big change this year has to do with cellphones. They are off-limits for public school students. Students are banned from using phones, headphones and earbuds from the beginning to the end of the school day. They can bring phones, but they must be in airplane mode or turned off. They will be able to use them during emergencies.
On CBS Miami's Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede, School Board Chair Lori Alhadeff said the phone policy change is not a punishment. She said the goal is to help students overcome bad social isolation habits formed during the COVID-19 shutdowns.
"Our students are so engaged in their cellphones that they are not focusing on what the teachers are teaching," she said. "We want to increase their ability to have relationships with other students, to be able to focus, to prevent cyberbullying, to prevent when fights break out the students are breaking out their cellphones and filming it."
The first day of the new school year for Miami-Dade public school students is Thursday, Aug. 15.
