Use of Metal Detectors

To continue to maintain a safe and secure environment on the Oologah-Talala Public School campuses, the Oologah-Talala Board of Education authorizes the use of walk-through and hand-held metal detectors to check a student's person or personal effects as follows:

1. School officials or law enforcement officers may conduct metal detector checks of groups of individual if the checks are done in a minimally intrusive, nondiscriminatory manner (e.g., on all students in a randomly selected class, on every third individual entering an athletic event, etc.). Metal detector checks of groups of individuals may not be used to single out a particular individual or category of individuals.
2. If a school official or law enforcement officer has reasonable suspicion to believe that a particular student is in possession of an illegal or unauthorized metal-containing object or weapon, he or she may conduct a metal detector check of the student's person and personal effects.
3. A student's failure to permit a metal detector check as provided in this policy will be considered grounds for disciplinary action.

Upon enrollment and at the beginning of each school year, students and parents/guardians shall receive notice that the district uses metal detector checks as part of its program to promote safety and deter the presence of weapons. Signs shall be posted at all schools to explain that anyone may be scanned by metal detectors for guns, knives, or other illegal weapons or dangerous objects when on campus or attending athletic or extracurricular events.