Robby Andrew thinks metal detectors "100% could have prevented" a Southeast High School student from bringing in a gun on March 2.

The gun fell out of a student’s bag, prompting a lockdown of the school.

"This is a prime example of why we need metal detectors as soon possible," said Andrew, a Southeast sophomore, addressing Tuesday's School District 186 board of education meeting.

See also: A new look at Lanphier High School. 'It's going to be the pride of the north end'

The board is considering plans to implement metal detectors and is scheduled to take a vote at its March 21 meeting.

Lanphier student Pierre V. Scott was fatally stabbed outside of the school on Nov. 17, prompting an outcry from students and community members for the board to consider the move.

The gun incident at Southeast happened after the board heard a presentation from Superintendent Jennifer Gill about the costs of two metal detector plans.

Andrew said the metal detectors are a popular notion among students he has talked to around Southeast.

"It is naive to say metal detection equipment and added security personnel gives the appearance of an unsafe environment," Andrew contended. "We are past the point of which we can pretend buildings are safe by ignoring the facts."

Adam Cook, the father of three District 186 students, has spoken to the board on three occasions about the issue.

Cook reiterated Tuesday that he wants the board to adopt a plan that works.

"I want them to look at all of the options and make a difference," he said. "I don't want them to reactively throw money at a problem and try to look better.

"Let's think about taking our time and finding effective solutions and knowing we're doing the right thing and knowing that we're asking the kids that we're doing the right thing. They deserve it."

The board, Cook said, has to figure out what outcome it wants if it decides to go through with the plan.

"They need to know that before they go into it, so the taxpayer can see where their money's going, where the kids can see something has changed," he said.

The purchase of 18 CEIA Opengate units would cost the district $227,180 while a four-year lease of 14 single-lane and double-lane units from EVOLV Express would cost $1.1 million.

It is possible the board may go with some "blended" approach using both companies, Gill said.

If the board gives approval, Gill said the devices could still go up in the three high schools by the end of April. The metal detectors would be put into middle schools at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.

Earlier: 16-year-old Springfield High School student still detained after court hearing

As in the past, Gill said Tuesday that security isn't just an infrastructure issue.

"It was important for us to talk about how we're going to still focus on the social emotional learning of students," she said.

Most recently, students from the superintendent's roundtable were able to meet with students from Champaign, which just implemented a weapons detection system. Team of educators from Springfield also visited to see the systems first-hand.

"Overwhelmingly, the student roundtable is in favor of doing anything and everything we can do to protect the student body," Gill said. "The students asked (the Champaign students) all the right questions (about the metal detectors): 'Does it feel better or worse? Does it feel obtrusive when you come in? Are there long lines waiting outside?'" 

The Champaign superintendent, Shelia Boozer, is a former District 186 administrator.

Gill said district administrators met with Jewish students from Springfield High School after the arrest of an SHS student last Wednesday for a hate crime involving writings that were antisemitic in nature.

"The administrators wanted them to let them know they fully support them," Gill said. "We've talked about how we can raise awareness in our curriculum and in our classrooms to make any next steps as we move forward. We wanted that student voice because they may have the best idea for us."

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Gill confirmed that Jason Wind, the executive director of school support, talked to Nancy Sage, the executive director of the Jewish Federation of Springfield Monday.

"Anything that would be antisemitic or any other type of aggression against any type of ethnic or religious group is absolutely not to be tolerated in our schools and we will act swiftly and work with law enforcement, work with families, work with anybody we can to make sure those things don't happen," Gill said.

The 16-year-old male student is still being detained in the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center following a court hearing Monday.

Sangamon County State's bAttorney Dan Wright said officials were still waiting on a psychological assessment of the student, who also was charged with disorderly conduct involving a threat to a school and criminal defacement of property. 

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.