CMS Officials Discuss New Security Screenings

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.

Featured

  • Rethinking Campus Security From the Inside

    For decades, campus security strategies focused on keeping threats outside school walls. But since the tragedy at Columbine High School, data has shown that many attacks begin inside the building, often in classrooms and corridors. This shift has prompted schools to rethink security from the inside and place greater emphasis on interior elements such as classroom doors. This shift is evidenced by a new generation of classroom door systems engineered to delay inside intruders and an ASTM standard that raises the bar on how these systems must be designed to defend against attack. Read Now

  • AI in Security: Advancing Campus Safety and Considerations for Implementing

    Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to capture attention across every sector, and the physical security industry is no exception. Once seen as experimental, AI-enabled analytics now underpin how organizations monitor environments, detect threats, and make decisions. What was once futuristic is now a practical necessity for safety professionals managing growing volumes of data, tighter resources, and increasing expectations for faster, more accurate responses. Read Now

  • How Cloud Security Solutions Are Transforming Campus Safety

    Campus administrators today face a challenging mandate: deliver stronger security across their facilities while working within tighter budget constraints. From school districts focused on student safety to hospitals protecting patients and staff, the question remains the same: how do you build security infrastructure that evolves with your needs without requiring massive capital investments? Read Now

  • 77% of Americans Support Gun Detection Technology in Schools, Workplaces, and Houses of Worship

    More than three-quarters of Americans (77.4%) believe gun detection technology should be deployed in schools, workplaces, and other public spaces, according to new survey data released recently. The national survey shows strong support for incorporating camera-based gun detection into existing video surveillance systems. Read Now

Most   Popular