Local

Metal detectors used during unannounced spot check at local elementary school

PITTSBURGH — Parents of students at a Pittsburgh elementary school were caught off guard Thursday when they dropped their kids off at school and noticed metal detectors.

Students at Springhill Elementary were greeted by long lines Thursday morning to enter the school because, for the first time in a while, parents say they had to enter through metal detectors.

While investigating the metal detector addition, Shannon Reynolds told Channel 11's Jennifer Tomazic that she heard a girl was assaulted on a school bus earlier this week.

“Constant bullying, constant fighting, kids getting called names, getting beat up on the bus,” Reynolds said.

Pittsburgh Public School District officials confirmed to Tomazic that a first-grade student choked a kindergartner on the bus. The spokeswoman said the first-grader has been punished on the bus and at school.

However, officials said the incident on the bus did not lead to the addition of metal detectors at school.

“They were making every single person go through the doors, searched and all. Book bags were being pushed aside and kids were going through long lines,” Reynolds said.

District officials said a spot check was planned, and to ensure accuracy, parents weren’t notified.

Elementary schools use metal detectors sporadically, unlike the high schools and middle schools that use them every day.

District officials said parents of children at Springhill Elementary should expect to receive a letter about the spot check soon.

WPXI

Most Read