INDIANAPOLIS — State of the art weapon detection systems have been given the green light by both Perry Township school district staff and students.
"It's disappointing we've come to this as a country, but I think it's necessary and it's better to be safe than sorry," said Isaiah Needam, a senior at Perry Meridian High School.
School administrators say the weapon detectors were installed around Thanksgiving. Since then, they say they've had a few run-ins with weapons.
"We have had guns that have hit it off and I will say, they have been more adult-driven than they have been student driven," said Chris Sampson, associate superintendent of Perry Township Schools.
When staff, students, or visitors walk through one of the 13 units, the machines will detect anything from a gun or knife, turning the light on the detectors from green to red.
If the light turns red, it will send out alerts immediately.
"We have a tablet that it notifies. It will also tell you exactly, to us, exactly where it hit on you," said Sampson.
Perry Meridian High School Principal Kert Boedicker said the student feedback has been positive overall.
"Now, you'll have students who are saying, 'Wow, why do we have to do this?' This is changing times, but we're also looking out for your best interest and we're going to make sure you're safe when you come to school and when you walk into Perry Meridian High School, your focus is on one thing and one thing only, that's learning," said Boedicker.
And for one student who moved here from Uganda, the weapon detector makes her feel safer.
"Definitely, in Uganda, we just go through school with the mindset of coming in for education, while here, with how the country is set up and how we have this amendment for having guns, it felt unsettling at first, but with these weapon detection systems I feel right back at home," said Liz Kile, a senior at Perry Meridian High School.