Shaler Area debuts new high school metal detectors for Friday night football game

This week, the Shaler Area School District enhanced security with new metal detectors at its buildings, and Friday night, they'll be used for the first time at the high school football stadium. It comes just a day after a student's mother found a gun in his room before school and it follows a couple other scares this year.

Friday afternoon, Shaler's assistant superintendent was helping maintenance workers set up the new screening at the football field. They're metal detectors from the OpenGate Weapons Detection System that can detect any threat from an assault weapon to a knife or pistol.

Superintendent Bryan O'Black said they'll be using them for the first time at the game against South Fayette, but on Wednesday and Thursday, they started using them at the middle and high schools.

"We're getting the students through in a reasonable amount of time, and it gives us the reassurance that we have that additional layer of screening so that all of our students can go about their day and have that peace of mind," O'Black said.

The decision came after an incident in January when a student boarded a school bus with a gun, and already this school year, before they were installed, the district postponed the first day due to a threat, and on Thursday, a mother of a high school student found her son in possession of a gun before going to school. 

"The school district is cooperating with local police authorities regarding the situation," O'Black said.

O'Black said they enhanced their police presence on campus, but he cannot comment on the student's status due to the ongoing investigation.

"Every day, that's all you hear, every day, it's another school," said Diane Pittman, whose children are graduates of the district. 

For some parents, whether their kids are current students or graduates, these steps provide a form of relief to try to prevent the tragedies that have happened in other communities in Shaler.

"I'm hopeful that the children and the community and the teachers and everybody will feel safer moving forward, so that we can focus on learning and all the important things," said Amy Scafuri, a parent of a Shaler seventh grader.

If you're coming to a game, you're encouraged to get there early for screening. You can only bring small purses, and you also won't be able to re-enter if you leave.