Dear Delegate Atterbeary, Delegate Wu, and members of the Howard County Delegation,

We, the undersigned, join the Howard County Public Schools Board of Education and the Anti-Racist Education Alliance, in urgently and respectfully request that you withdraw local bill Ho. Co. 15-25 pertaining to a weapons detection study for Howard County Public Schools. We oppose this bill for the following reasons: 

BOGUS AI

Much of the public discussion about Ho. Co. 15-25 has centered around the use of Artificial Intelligence, but the technology is not credible.

The sponsors of this bill have repeatedly insisted that opposition to metal detectors is a misplaced basis for opposing this bill because the weapons detection technology they’re interested in uses Artificial Intelligence.

The sponsors of this bill have cited Baltimore City and Baltimore County Schools’ use of AI weapons detection (from Evolv) as evidence of its effectiveness. 

• The Federal Trade Commission disagrees on both counts. The FTC alleged in their complaint against Evolv that despite the lofty claims made, the technology is fundamentally no different from a metal detector: 

“The company has insisted publicly and repeatedly that Express (from Evolv) is a ‘weapons detection’ system and ‘not a metal detector.’ This representation is solely a marketing distinction, in that the only things that Express scanners detect are metallic and its alarms can be set off by metallic objects that are not weapons.” 

A typical contract for Evolv is five times the cost of traditional metal detectors. That’s a significantly large price hike for what is essentially a re-brand. 

SPEND ON PREVENTIONS, NOT REACTIONS

We should not spend a dime on weapons detection while we continue to underfund school counselors, community outreach, and many of the wraparound services public schools could and should provide more of. There are dozens of prevention touch points that have to fail before a child decides to pick up a weapon. That is where the focus should be. If we’re looking for weapons they already have, then we have already failed them. Every single available cent should be spent on the systemic deficiencies that reliably let our vulnerable students down.

IT IS NOT JUST A STUDY

When the sponsors and supporters of this bill claim that “it’s just a study,” they are denying the very significant real life consequences of introducing this toxic topic into our community zeitgeist. Howard County Public Schools accounted for 4% of all weapons related incidents in Maryland public schools last year. Embarking on such a study would validate the largely racially motivated hysteria around a single unique incident. Reinforcing a disparaging and unearned narrative about our wonderful schools is guaranteed to sow seeds of division and discord - which will breed suspicion and mistrust. 70 years of integrated public schools leaves no doubt which kids will lose out in that climate. So, no, it is not just a study. 

School is not jail. School is not a courthouse, and it shouldn’t resemble one. School is a community built on relationships and learning, in that order. We are so fortunate in Howard County to live in a community where our kids don’t attend overly policed or militarized buildings. 

We should be reinforcing our community’s capacity for caring to keep one another safe. Students have always shown us that they will rise to meet high expectations. Simply suggesting that we should entertain studies about expensive weapons detection measures can become a self fulfilling prophecy of its own. It sends a message that this is what we expect of our kids. This bill tells our kids that we think they are dangerous criminals. 

We hope you will consider our strong objection and decide to withdraw the bill or join us in opposition. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. 

Kind regards,