Weapon detectors coming to all Nashville middle schools
Weapon detection scanners are coming to all public middle school campuses in Nashville.
The Metro Nashville Public Schools board unanimously approved a $1.2 million expansion to an existing contract with System Integrations Inc. to install the scanners. The money draws from a state school safety grant. The system, known as Evolv, uses artificial intelligence to detect concealed weapons as people enter a school and is more specialized than a traditional metal detector. It includes scanner panels similar to what patrons at a stadium or arena may pass through before an event.
The middle school scanners will function as a one-year pilot project while MNPS seeks permanent, recurring funding for the system, according to an MNPS news release following the board's Sept. 23 vote.
"The new pilot will test the use of these systems in middle school settings to evaluate their effectiveness and impact before any longer-term decisions or funding commitments are made," the release said.
The Evolv system was installed at Antioch High School in January as students returned to campus six days after a student opened fire in the cafeteria , fatally shooting one student and wounding another before fatally shooting himself.
Since then, Evolv panels were installed in all MNPS high schools. They were also installed at campuses that serve both high school students and younger students, according to MNPS spokesperson Sean Braisted. Those include Big Picture High School, Johnson Alternative Learning Center, Cora Howe Exceptional School and Harris Hillman School.
Several board members expressed grief and reluctance over installing weapon detection systems in middle schools, but also acknowledged the need for more safety measures.
"I hate that we're in this position," board chair Freda Player said. "This issue's bigger than us."
The board's vote came after a 40-minute discussion on the contract. Student board members Hannah Nguyen and Ava Dakash voiced concerns over exposing younger students to the reality of weapons detectors and urged extra care in how students and staff are taught to use the system.
MNPS Director Adrienne Battle assured board members that careful planning and training will go into the rollout and that best practices for middle schools will be enacted. Training and information sessions will happen in the weeks to come, with plans to start installing systems after fall break in mid-October, Battle said. After that, the systems will be launched in approximately two schools per week.
"School safety is our top priority, and this proposed expansion of Evolv into middle schools builds on the success we've seen in high schools across the district," Battle said in the release. "This technology has allowed us to strengthen security while maintaining a smooth, welcoming experience for students each morning."
Weapon detection systems draw scrutiny
Evolv is not the first weapon detection system installed on MNPS campuses.
An AI-powered brandished weapon detection system known as Omnilert is already installed on cameras across all MNPS campuses. However, the system failed to detect the shooter's gun during the Antioch High shooting — something a district spokesperson said was due to the location of the shooter and the weapon. However, the system did activate when police later entered the school with weapons drawn. The ordeal raised questions about the efficacy of the Omnilert system.
Evolv Technologies was also under scrutiny recently. It settled a case with the the Federal Trade Commission in November after the commission said the company made "misleading claims" that its AI screening system was more effective than traditional metal detectors. In its complaint, the FTC said the scanners failed in several cases to detect weapons in schools while flagging harmless personal items like binders and water bottles.
As part of the FTC settlement, the company was required to give some school districts the option to cancel contracts signed between April 2022 and June 2023. The company also discontinued using the marketing materials flagged in the case.
From February: Nashville to install concealed weapon detection system in all public high schools
Rachel Wegner covers education and children's issues for The Tennessean. Got a story you think she should hear? Reach her via email at RAwegner@tennessean.com . You can also find her on X or Bluesky under the handle RachelAnnWegner.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville to install weapon detectors in all public middle schools
