The Mitchell School District is using technology to combat “vaping” in school bathrooms. Superintendent Joe Graves says the district has been using two portable vaping sensors for about eight months. “They’re pretty discreet,” said Graves. “All their sensing is chemical, so there’s no video or anything like that.”
He says so far the sensors have been reasonably effective in helping identify who may be vaping. “There is punishment obviously,” Graves said. “But it’s more about helping them understand…just how dangerous these things are.”
Graves says when vaping chemicals are detected the devices alert school officials with a text.
He says each vaping sensor cost $900.
The Dell Rapids School District has also installed vaping sensors in bathrooms.