Sensors For Room Partitions Proposed After Franconia Boy Killed

FRANCONIA, VA—The Fairfax County School Board proposed funding for sensors on room partitions, which killed a boy at Franconia Elementary School last year.

NBC Washington reported a school board member added $450,000 for sensors in all school district room partitions to the budget request. It will be part of the school district budget presented to the Board of Supervisors on April 9.

Wesley Lipicky, 9, died in May 2018 after he was crushed by a room partition in the gym. The child and a teacher simultaneously pressed a button to open a large, motorized room partition that splits in the middle. Wesley was caught between the partition and a wall, and suffered traumatic head injuries, police said.

The school district's funding request came after restrictions on room partitions became law in Virginia. The bill introduced by Del. Mark Sickles prohibits the use of room partitions in most circumstances.

FCPS changed the policy of operating the walls after the incident. Only certain staff can operate the walls when there aren't children around.

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