CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There's a new push to ensure safety at Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. The school district announcing students will soon be checked for weapons.
On Monday, families were notified that safety screenings will be resuming via phone and email.
This after CMPD and school officers responded to four serious crimes involving guns, during the first week of school.
"I think it's a lot more common than it should be," Hannah Kaufhold said.
The goal is to keep weapons out and students safe, while minimizing class disturbances.
Some parents applaud the district's decision, while others say it's unfortunate that students need to go through safety screenings.
"I think it's a shame that we would have to check students if they have weapons, but I think the school system needs to do what they can do to keep our kids safe because we bring them to school thinking they'll be safe," CMS grandparent Susan Scott said.
According to CMS schools, buildings, or classrooms will be checked, not specific students. Everyone in those randomly chosen locations will have to participate and bags will be searched too.
CMPD asking for the communities help, outside the classroom.
"We've got to mentor them, not just parents, it takes a village to raise folks and those in the community-- the police department can't do it, we can't do it ourselves," a spokesperson for CMPD said.
The last time CMS had weapon screenings was January 2019, after 16-year-old Bobby McKeithen was shot and killed at Butler High School.
Now there's hope for change.
"Sending off your kids to school with more safety measures is definitely an ease at mind," Kaufhold said.
It's also important to note, no students will be able to leave during the screenings. Parents will get a Connect message from the school's principal when a screening is taking place and then when it's completed.
CMS asks parents to talk with their students about why these screenings are being conducted, assure them that the screenings will be conducted by trained staff and will be respectful of their rights, and ask them to participate cooperatively so that screenings can be conducted quickly and with minimal class time disruption.
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