Amid push back, Philadelphia School Board approves metal detectors in all district high schools

"If they ain't listening to students they sure as hell ain't listening to y'all," said Julien Terrell before a cheering crowd.

Terrell is the executive director for the Philadelphia Student Union. He apologized to a full room after causing an abrupt early end to tonight's school board meeting.

"There are people in this room who fought hard for another board. This is not representative of what we fought for and we will not allow it will we? No," said Terrell as the crowed answered back.

The room went into an uproar after the board voted to approve policy 805 calling for metal detectors in all high schools in the Philadelphia School District. The policy passed 7 to 2.

"Action item 1 passes. As to all policies with the acknowledgement that there were 2 no votes as to policy 805," said a school board member as the crowd yelled the word shame.

The outburst came after nearly a dozen students spoke before the board against the metal detectors. The policy affects three of 49 high schools in the district that have them but aren't currently using them.

Only one person, a parent, spoke tearfully in support of the policy after a report of a gun last month in her daughter's elementary school.

"I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and my heart sank. My worst fear became my reality. I was going through a real life nightmare that no parent should have to go through," said Latonya Diggs-Clay.

Before the meeting students rallied outside the district building against the policy.

"The culture and trust and respect my school will be severely damaged by metal detectors and police officers," said Charles Mitchell.

Zoey Tweh said, "We ask that if you want metal detectors in our schools that each school gets decide if that's the best plan for them."

Amir Curry also spoke saying, "The problem is not guns. The problem is not the lack of metal detectors in schools. The problem is the lack of social and emotional support systems that we have in schools," he said.

Philadelphia Superintendent Dr. William Hite addressed the media late tonight after everyone left the building.

"I'm disappointed that we had to recess the meeting. I'm disappointed because as adults working with young people we have an obligation to model discourse and model discourse in a civil way," said Hite.

He went on to say the he doesn't want children to feel like they're entering prisons instead of schools and that school personnel will be re-trained so children don't feel that way.