CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Guns with kids, kids with guns.
"This could be my kid," CMS parent Latoya Stone said. "It's always insane to see school shootings just knowing this could happen anywhere."
Stone said her worst fear is receiving a call about an active shooter on her kid's campus. Now Stone, along with other CMS parents, is taking a deeper dive into school safety protocols.
One of the biggest lingering questions is how often students were being scanned for weapons.
Scanners are present during the start of school, but there were concerns about whether the same protocols apply to students who arrive at school early or late.
"It's a great concern because students talk and once they figure out a way to avoid the scanner, they're going to tell their friend," Stone said.
WCNC Charlotte brought these concerns to CMS. " The scanners may not be manned at all times, but students who come in early or late are asked to enter the building as directed by staff and must be signed in by a parent or guardian," a CMS spokesperson said in response.
Some parents say that this is not enough. They say that all it takes is one student and one gun.
"Most of the time parents don’t know if there is a weapon on a child, we say we know our children but we don’t know our children in a peer environment," Stone said.
WCNC Charlotte also obtained a statement from a CMS school's administration, which confirms that the school is aware of the gap, especially now that parents like Stone are pushing for more safety measures.
"One flaw can be the detriment for everybody at that school, I think they need to step it up," Stone said.
CMS said searches are not initiated unless there is a cause for concern, but they do have staff available to observe those who enter the building.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.