Educator Speaks Out Against Metal Detector In Schools After Stabbing

An educator has spoken out following a stabbing that took place between two 14 year old students at St Clare’s College in Pembroke, urging people not to immediately jump to measures like metal detectors.

Nicole Portelli, an educator involved in public life, said she cannot ignore what happened, but cannot support knee jerk reactions that ‘may do more harm than good.’

‘It is easy to say “just install metal detectors.” But in reality, it is much more complex’, she wrote. ‘A metal detector is not a neutral object. It sends a message. It shapes a school’s psychological environment. And if we are not careful, it risks communicating to our students that we see them as potential criminals rather than young people who deserve trust, support, and a safe space to grow.’

‘Yes, safety must always come first’, she continued, ‘But real safety is not created by rushing to impose hardware. It is created by understanding behaviour, investing in mental-health support, building respectful relationships, and ensuring that schools remain places of learning, not checkpoints.’

These are not soft approaches she said, but informed, evidence-based and centred on the well being of the child.

‘Let me be absolutely clear: every student — regardless of nationality, background, home situation, or life story — deserves to feel safe at school. A thousand times yes. But safety and dignity must go hand in hand.’

‘Before forming opinions, we need to research, reflect, and think deeply about the young people at the centre of this discussion.’

#MaltaDaily