‘Talk about it with us’: High school students demand transparency from CMS on safety
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Guns found in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
In the first few months of the 2021-22 school year, CMS has set a concerning new record for guns being brought to campuses.
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Students at Hopewell High School demanded more transparency and communication from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools two weeks after two guns were found on campus.
About 300 parents, students, CMS officials and employees filled a Huntersville church Wednesday night to discuss school safety following the Nov. 3 incident that led to five Hopewell students being charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds.
More than 90 weapons, including eight guns, were found on CMS campuses between Aug. 25 and Oct. 20, according to district data.
Wednesday night, CMS officials and parents discussed possible solutions — including clear backpacks — to make schools more secure, but the students said they want more on-campus discussions rather than during a town hall meeting or on social media.
“I think we as students know what’s happening. I feel like you don’t recognize it at school,” Cole Voyer, a Hopewell junior, said during the meeting. “Talk about it with us when we’re at school, not at home or on Instagram.”
Senior Ashlyn Duffy said she doesn’t know about a lot of things that happen in CMS or her school until she checks social media and the news.
“As a student, I found it very hard to take that information from a source that I don’t see everyday or face-to-face,” she said. “Personally, I would trust it a little bit more and feel more secure hearing it from you guys.”
Hopewell Principal Tracey Pickard said she and CMS aren’t making excuses and are working on ways to better communicate with students. The school hopes to assemble some students in the next couple of weeks for in-depth discussions about their safety on campus, she said.
Luke Settlemeyer, a senior at Hopewell, said he doesn’t want the actions of a few students to define his school’s image. Everyone must work together to “totally eliminate this behavior,” he said.
Ways to help reduce school violence
With school safety at the forefront of Wednesday’s meeting, parents and CMS officials discussed ideas that could help reduce violence in schools, including:
▪ Requiring clear backpacks for all students;
▪ Instituting metal detectors in schools;
▪ Increasing the presence of campus security;
▪ Creating more programs to prevent students from exhibiting troubling behavior.
CMS Superintendent Earnest Winston said there’s already a task force made up of staff members from across the district that’s determining which ideas can be short or long-term solutions. Parents and community members will be able to be a part of the task force in the future, he said.
Troubling start to school year
Fights and guns marred the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, a trend that continues to be an issue for CMS, on and off campus.
The first week of school in August saw four incidents involving fights and firearms, including a robbery at Mallard Creek High School, where Charlotte-Mecklenburg police found a knife, a firearm and marijuana in a student’s possession.
In early September, a drive-by shooting killed 3-year-old Asiah Figueroa, who was sleeping in his home. CMPD connected the shooting to students at three CMS high schools — including Hopewell. Three 21-year-old men have been arrested and charged in connection with Asiah’s death, but CMPD has not provided details on how CMS students are connected.
CMS resumed random safety screenings in September. The district uses no-touch metal detectors. As of Nov. 18, there had been 24 safety screenings, a CMS spokeswoman told the Observer.
On Thursday morning, Mallard Creek went into modified lockdown after a number of fights broke out, according to Observer news partner WBTV. Police were called to help secure the school. One person was treated for injuries, Medic said.
This story was originally published November 18, 2021 at 5:19 PM.
