A union grievance over weapons-screening duty at a Fairfax County high school could change how Reston's Langston Hughes Middle School staffs its detectors.

The Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT) filed the complaint on behalf of staff at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, as first reported by FFXnow on Sept. 30. The union argues that operating OpenGate weapons-detection systems is not a professional duty and should not be assigned to classroom teachers.

A hearings officer heard testimony from both sides on Sept. 23 and will send a recommendation to the Fairfax County School Board, which will make the final decision. No date for that recommendation has been announced.

Two teachers reprimanded

Bill McCabe, an English teacher at Lake Braddock and a FCFT shop steward, said he and one other teacher refused the screening assignment and were formally reprimanded. McCabe, a 30-year veteran of the school and three-time National Board certified teacher, said he was called "unprofessional" and "insubordinate" for declining.

More than 80 Lake Braddock staff members signed a petition saying the duty fell outside their job descriptions. A separate public petition gathered 3,000 signatures.

"It's bargain-basement security for the students in Fairfax County … And I'm not qualified to do it," McCabe told FFXnow on Sept. 30.

District calls it routine supervision

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) classified the screening assignment as a supervision-related duty. In a statement reported by DC News Now on Sept. 3, the district said all staff play a role in student safety, comparing the duty to hallway, lunch or recess monitoring.

A superintendent's designee wrote in a response to McCabe's grievance appeal that teachers are "not expected to respond to violence incidents" and are asked to support the duty in a rotation of 2.5 hours for the entire school year. McCabe disputed that figure, telling DC News Now that some morning staff had already exceeded 2.5 hours by early September.

The district's weapons-detection FAQ states that designated staff receive training on operating the technology, resolving false alerts, conducting secondary screenings and following protocols when a prohibited item is found. An FCPS spokesperson declined to comment further before the grievance process is complete, according to FFXnow.

Hearing reveals uneven practices

Sonja Curry-Johnson, an English teacher and union steward at Lake Braddock, told FFXnow on Sept. 30 that testimony at the Sept. 23 hearing revealed different approaches at other schools. At Fairfax High School, staff were asked through a Google form whether they wanted to volunteer for the duty and received a stipend if they did.

FCFT president Emily VanDerhoff told FFXnow on Sept. 30 that the union wants an opt-in system. She said the broader goal is to establish limits on what duties a principal can assign.

What it means for Reston

OpenGate systems were permanently installed in every FCPS middle and high school in fall 2025. Funding came from one-time year-end money and settlement proceeds from a class action lawsuit against a vaping company. Langston Hughes Middle School in Reston uses the system for student entry, according to the school's back-to-school letter.

The school board's decision on the grievance will determine whether weapons-screening duty remains mandatory for teachers districtwide or shifts to a voluntary system.