At a school board meeting on Mar. 14, ACPS announced that it will be introducing a TSA Precheck program at both campuses. This program will allow students to receive weapons abatement privileges, if they meet the proper requirements.
“I think this will be a great experience for the students,” said School Board Member Alley Dimples-Burt. “Going through the metal detectors is super tedious so we wanted to shake it up and add some extra steps!”
To apply to the program, students are required to submit a 10 page writing supplemental, a 2,000-3,000 word “Why Me?” essay, and five letters of recommendation from teachers. They also must have at least 40,000 Minga Points.
“We wanna keep it fair,” said Dimples-Burt.
As for the PreCheck privileges, students who get accepted into the program will still enter the schools through the same doors as the normal kids, but will then get to go through a dedicated metal detector express line. This lane will be designated with velvet-rope and LED lights along the ground.
PreCheck students will also have the option to skip the metal directors all together and instead take a lie detector test where they are asked “do you have anything that could be turned into a deadly projectile?”
Additionally, to encourage students to apply for the PreCheck, ACPS is introducing a new system where they berate students over the intercom if they set off the metal detectors.
“We feel this will help motivate them,” said Executive Principal Alejandro Pumpkin.
However, some students disagree and claim this system will cause problems.
“The metal detectors went off for my Stanley Cup and they went over the intercom saying that I was hiding a knife in it,” said Sophomore Shanley Chup.
Nevertheless, ACPS is adamant that this program is necessary and are claiming that PreCheck is not the end. If accepted, students will then have the opportunity to apply for Gold Platinum PreCheck which lets them skip the Minga ID scan altogether, and instead use a retina scan to enter the school.
“Don’t worry it’s gonna be great. We’re so excited,” said Pumpkin. “Applications are due April 1st!”
