This article was originally published by WSMV, an NBC affiliate in Nashville, Tennessee, and it was written by Briona Arradondo. To view the original article, click here.
NASHVILLE, TN – Metro Schools are beefing up security to track who can be in a school building. The district spent nearly $230,000 for a system that checks for sex offenders.
As thousands of Metro students and parents begin their day, a new process will greet them at the door.
“The (school) system did adopt the Raptor visiting badging system as our school district’s visitor entry system,” Dr. Tony Majors, the Chief Support Services Officer for Metro Nashville Public Schools.
Majors said an audit suggested adding a security system for all schools.
Channel 4 was the first to see it in action.
All first-time visitors must get their driver’s licenses scanned. It checks for those not allowed on school property, like sex offenders.
“It also allows us to track who’s in the building for what amount of time, when they leave the building. So in the event of an emergency, we can account for all people in our schools,” Majors said.
One of the first to pilot the system earlier this year was Eakin Elementary. When it rolled out district-wide two weeks ago, all parents went through the process.
“After that, it’s been pretty easy when I’m coming in to just put in my name. They know who I am. They know who’s here,” said Jeff Sheehan, father of an Eakin kindergarten student.
If someone gets flagged, safety measures kick in. Parents said they like the extra security.
“I think it’s a great relief as a parent to know that they’re taking that extra step,” said Melinda Turner, mother of an Eakin kindergarten student. “I could imagine it would be very scary otherwise as to who could be getting into the school.”
Despite the added technology, some said they like the security of attentive eyes.
“I think the best thing that we have here for safety on the kids are the teachers, the faculty, the staff who really keep an eye out on them no matter who’s here,” Sheehan said.
Other features in the new system include emergency alerts to law enforcement and tracking student tardiness.
But Metro school administrators said those won’t be turned on until next school year. According to Metro Schools, it will cost an additional $85,000 each year to maintain the system and for access to the National Sex Offender Registry.
Other schools with the Raptor system include Rutherford and Wilson counties.
