| | | | | | | | THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
OF PHILADELPHIA | No. 817 | | SECTION: 800 OPERATIONS | | TITLE: 817 Use of Scanning Equipment to Detect Weapons | | ADOPTED: December 14, 1992 | | REVISED: |
|
| | | | | | | | 817 Use of Scanning Equipment to Detect Weapons |
| | | | | | | | Purpose
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education (“Board”) has made a strong and is determined effort to recognizes the importance of maintaining its School District of Philadelphia (“District”) schools as safe, and secure, and welcoming places for students, staff, and parents where students and staff can pursue the educational endeavors our children deserve. The Board of Education finds that escalating violence encroaching on our national landscape has resulted in the proliferation of dangerous and deadly weapons in America's urban, suburban and rural communities.
The Pennsylvania Legislature, in an effort to stem this national trend shown by a significant increase in the presence of weapons in school settings, enacted Public Law 167 of 1980 making it a criminal offense to possess any weapon in a school building, on school grounds, or on a school bus. [1]
The Board of Education has witnessed a significant increase in discovery of weapons in the possession of students during incidents occurring in school and while traveling to and from school. The Board of Education is committed to attempt to the goal of provideing Philadelphia's public schools with the means to maintain a safe climate for all students and staff in a manner which reasonably balances limited intrusions on individual freedoms against the vital public interest in preserving an atmosphere conducive to education in our schools. The purpose of this policy is to establish a transparent and standardized weapons screening process. This process aims to improve student security while promoting each student’s dignity and minimizing negative effects of the screening process.
|
| | | | | | | | Authority
In accordance with tThe Public School Code, 24 P.S. Section 5-510 grants SchoolThe Pennsylvania School Code and Department of Education Regulations provide the Board the authority to set and the Boards with the authority is authorized to issue rules and regulations regarding the management of school affairs, including reasonable policies and procedures regarding searches. the conduct and deportment of students attending public schools in the dDistrict. The Pennsylvania Crimes Code , 18 Pa. C.S.A. Section 912 makes it a misdemeanor of the 1st degree to possess any weapon in a school, school program, or school bus. [1][2][3][4]
Judicial decisions have recognized the appropriateness and need to administer searches of the public upon entry into governmental buildings and programs as well as searches of individuals based upon reasonable suspicion in school programs.
|
| | | | | | | | Delegation of Responsibility
The Board directs the Superintendent of Schools or their designee, through the Office of School Safety, to is authorized establish School Safety Directives establishing a standardized weapons screening process that is rooted in an approach that considers the unique factors related to adolescent development, setting forth the permissible circumstances and limitations upon the use of magnetometers or scanning devices: [3][4]
to amend the School dDistrict's procedures for the conduct of searches and seizures currently set forth in District School Police DirectivesSchool Operations Policy and Procedures Section 109-8 to provide for the use of magnetometers or scanning devices in
individual searches bBased upon reasonable suspicion that a student is in possession of a weapon or where the student has engaged in assaultive conduct;. and- For comprehensive or random entry searches of students and visitors to schools, school buses, or school programs, athletic contests, or activities.
|
| | | | | | | | Mandatory Regulatory Procedures:
Other than as mandated by Policy 805, Emergency Preparedness, Tthe Superintendent, through the Office of School Safety or designee, of Schools may upon the issuance of detailed administrative procedures or guidelines setting forth the permissible circumstances and limitations upon the use of magnetometers or scanning devices for administrative searches, authorize the use of such equipment magnetometers or scanning devices for administrative searches or for comprehensive or random entry searches of students and visitors, to schools, school buses, or school programs, athletic contests, or activities. [3][4][5]
The Superintendent, through the Office of School Safety of Schoolsor designee, is authorized to procure, within budgetary constraints, magnetometer or other scanning devices for the purpose of reducing or discouraging the presence of weapons, as defined in Policy 208.1 - Weapons, in our schools.
where circumstances in a community, or information received by the school, raises a heightened likelihood of weapons possession and/or violence in a school or between segments of the student population.
The Superintendent of Schools may authorize the use of magnetometers or scanning devices for administrative entry searches by school personnel at individual school programs, athletic contests, or activities.
The Superintendent of Schools may authorize the use of magnetometers or scanning devices for administrative entry searches in designated remedial-disciplinary schools to which students are assigned as a result of a serious incident or series of disruptive behaviors.
|
| | | | | | | | | Administrative Procedures: |
|