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Superintendent Heath Morrison said Wednesday he’s looking at spending 2007 bond money to increase security at some of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s older school buildings.
Morrison and his staff looked at safety issues after last month’s mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. He said they found a need for campus fencing, more cameras, better locks and single-point entrances. But he noted that it’s not clear whether those changes would prevent an armed attack like the one at Sandy Hook, which had a single entrance and a buzz-in security system.
The safety question came up at a media briefing at West Mecklenburg High, where JROTC cadets led reporters in and out of buildings to get from the main office to the library. That illustrates the challenge of securing some of the district’s older campuses, which have several buildings linked by outdoor walkways, Morrison said.
Morrison said he’s talking to Mecklenburg County officials about how much 2007 bond money is available from savings on the projects that were part of the bond plan. Doing all the safety upgrades would cost “probably in excess of $20 million,” he said.
“It’s complex,” Morrison said, “but we are focused on doing that as quickly as possible.”
