VIERA, Fla. – Almost two years after Brevard Public Schools started putting metal detectors in all high schools, the district is now preparing to put metal detectors in all 12 middle schools.
Melbourne was the first high school to get the OpenGate weapons-detection system in the fall of 2024.
A few months later, the district said the metal detectors stopped a Cocoa High student from bringing a gun to school, and then this school year, a second success story.
[WATCH: Brevard high schools will get metal detectors, starting with Melbourne High (from 2024)]
A 17-year-old Palm Bay High School student was arrested after the district said they were caught with a gun.
“It makes me feel a lot safer knowing that it actually works,” senior Alexa Nichols said in November.
Tuesday night, the Brevard school board is expected to approve starting to make it work at the middle school level.
The district has told your Viera Community Correspondent, James Sparvero, that the goal is to have them ready for next school year.
Sparvero asked families if they think it’s a good idea.
“Yes, I do,” parent Nancy Teartt said. “I think so because you just never know.”
[WATCH: Cocoa High School student in custody after metal detector finds gun (from 2025)]
Grandparent Mike Reis said he thinks metal detectors should be in every school, no matter the children’s age.
“I think so nowadays,” he said.
Like it did with high schools, the district said it plans on rolling out the metal detectors in middle schools, one school at a time.
We don’t know the order yet, and we don’t know exactly when, but we’ll update you on News 6 and ClickOrlando.com.