CMS Officials Discuss New Security Screenings
Officials are testing three different models of the screening security plan: screen students as they walk in, screen students in a selected building and screen every student in randomly selected classrooms.
- By Jessica Davis
- February 05, 2019
Officials from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spoke about the district’s new safety measures, including security screenings, during a school board retreat Saturday. The retreat—and the new measures—comes three months after a fatal shooting in a Butler High School hallway.
Mary McCray, chairman of the board of education, said the schools are doing whatever it takes to ensure the safety of students and staff.
“We’re having to put some things in place to make sure we don’t have another tragedy such as that,” McCray said.
The screenings at schools began last week. Ten schools were randomly screened, and officials said some schools might be screened twice.
“It’s going to be on a rolling basis, so there will be other schools chosen, and some schools may come up twice because of the randomness of this,” McCray said.
Individual students will not be selected for screening, but all schools will eventually be screened, officials said.
Officials are testing three different models of the screening security plan: screen students as they walk in, screen students in a selected building and screen every student in randomly selected classrooms.
“I do want people to know we’re not the only district doing this,” McCray said.
According to McCray, the screenings will be random unless there are instances of multiple weapons being found at one campus. In the first week of screenings, officials only confiscated pepper spray.
The screening process includes the use of portable metal detectors, bag searches and security wands.
According to the board, the screenings will not include elementary or middle school campuses.
About the Author
Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.