ACCOMACK COUNTY, VA -- The district plans to place vape sensors in all high schools across the county. Parents and students support the new technology.
In an effort to better enforce their "drug-free school zone" mantra, Accomack County schools will install sensors in all bathrooms. The equipment can detect e-cigarette vapor.
Parent Andrea Valdiviez said she's 100% on board.
"It's going to benefit the school and it's going to benefit the kids and the parents too," said Valdiviez.
The idea of smoke-free bathrooms has also caught on with students we spoke with at Nandua High School.
"I think it'll help benefit students and keep us safe," said senior Jordan Penland.
Penland's friend Meya Charnock agrees.
"I think it's a good idea and it will definitely help a very distracting problem that we have in schools," said Charnock.
The new vape sensors will be installed at Nandua High School, Chincoteague High School and Arcadia High School.
School officials said the sensors will be tamper-proof and can even be programmed with keywords. So, for instance, if a student yells, "I need help," the sensor would pick that up and send out an alert to school staff.
"A lot of the fights do start at the bathrooms and a lot of the teachers don't know anything about that so I do think that would be a good idea as well for them to do that," said Valdiviez.
The sensors are estimated to cost $40,000 plus an additional $15,000 for installation. Accomack County Public Schools plans to sign a five-year contract with a vape sensor company, although there is no timeline for when the sensors will be up and running.
A Popular Tactic:
Accomack is not the first county on Delmarva to take a stand against bathroom vaping. All high schools in Worcester County are equipped with similar technology.
If the sensor detects e-cigarette vapor, it will light up green and make a sound. The district told us that if funding becomes available, it plans on installing sensors in all of its middle schools.
Wicomico County Public Schools told us they also have some vape detectors throughout its high schools.
Paul Butler, Communications Director for Wicomico County Public Schools, said they would like to expand the number of detectors but that it's dependent on funding.
