Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) is reportedly considering adopting new, artificial intelligence-based weapons detection systems at all of its schools in the city, after they were initially installed at Antioch High School in the days following the January 22 shooting committed by 17-year-old Solomon Henderson, who killed one student before taking his own life last month.
The school system first announced that Antioch High School would pilot the new AI weapon detection system on January 25, just three days after Henderson committed the attack, and WPLN reported MNPS will now consider whether to adopt the security system at all of its schools during the Tuesday meeting of the school board.
As noted by Nashville Banner, Evolv Technology, the security company behind the proposed system, was already the subject of controversy prior before it was installed in any Nashville school.
In 2023, questions were raised by the BBC after the system apparently failed to detect the knife used to stab a student in a New York high school that year.
The next year, the Associated Press reported that stockholders in the company were told not to rely on recent financial statements amid an internal investigation over alleged misconduct related to sales. Just six days after the potential misconduct was reported, the company fired its chief executive officer.
Last December, this controversy appears to have culminated in a class action lawsuit from shareholders who claimed the company made false or misleading statements about its revenues.
Days before that lawsuit was announced, the Biden administration and the company agreed to settle a lawsuit in which the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleged the company misled its customers. The company said the FTC, “did not challenge the core efficacy of Evolv’s products.”
Amid all of these developments, the Evolv system was described in March by an industry publication as “the most expensive option” available, with each area monitored using the technology coming at a reported cost of $2,500 to $3,000 per month, and requiring a four-year contract.
If this price is accurate, over a four-year contract it would cost MNPS more than $23 million for its more than 160 schools to obtain the technology for just one area at each location.
The equipment was installed at Antioch High School after the existing, camera-based detection system failed to identify the weapon used by Henderson on January 22, when The Tennessee Star reported that traditional metal detectors were installed at the school sometime during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that they were removed in the following years without explanation.
On the day of the attack, MNPS Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle suggested metal detectors create issues.
“While past research has shown they have had limitations and unintended consequences, we will continue to explore emerging technologies and strategies to strengthen school safety,” said Battle last month.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Evolv Systems in Action” by Evolv Systems.
Perhaps someday, there will be a real scientific research done on why citizens of large cities tend to be Democrats and liberal havens. I have my theories, I`m sure others do too.
As long as Democrats and Liberals control a city, it will only continue to deteriorate. As seen in this Country under Obama and Biden. They have no logical reasoning ability. I have long believed that they are human genetic aberrations. They have the sheep flock mentality, where they defund and fire the Sheepdogs, then cry when the Wolves attack. Remember, Democracy is two Wolves and a Sheep deciding what`s for dinner.
Idiots pretending to have leadership skills. If the academic dolts had every nickel in the world they wouldn’t be able to teach rats to eat cheese.
so what are these ‘unintended consequences’ we keep hearing about?
anyone?
Catching too many black kids with firearms. That`s racist.
Because metal detectors are racist. A financially questionable supplier, why wouldn’t the democrats do business with them.
$3000/mo x 12 mo/year x 4 year x 160 = $23M for all schools. If there were 4 sensors put in every school, that’s less than $100M every 4 years. That is the equivalent of 280 years worth of school safety vs a $7B on empty “mass waste” transit boondoggle.
Where are the priorities Nashville?