Clear backpacks, chairs and a piano: CMS auctioning off unwanted equipment to public
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will auction off 46,000 clear backpacks — the district’s last attempt to recoup money it spent under a plan for increased security amid a crisis of guns being found in schools.
The CMS Board of Education approved Tuesday the sale of the backpacks and other surplus property via an online auction. The district spent more than $440,000 on the clear backpack initiative for high school students.
Critics said little to no research has proven that the backpacks can help stop weapons at the door, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. The backpacks were never handed out after CMS officials found cancer warnings attached to the bags while unpacking the shipments.
Last week, an Observer analysis found a decrease in the number of guns found on CMS campuses during the second half of the school year. During the first four months of school, the district broke a record for guns found on campus. Many attributed the improvement to body scanners at some high schools, the use of an anonymous reporting app and an increased awareness of the problem.
What else can you buy online?
GovDeals will facilitate the online bid process, according to a document from Brian Schultz, the district’s chief operations officer. The auction is scheduled to take place at the end of June or early July, CMS spokesperson Cassie Fambro said. Anyone can place a bid at www.govdeals.com.
Items include:
▪ 115 student desks
▪ 165 assorted plastic chairs
▪ 160 computers
▪ 50 folding chairs
▪ 20 TV carts
▪ 15 fax machines
▪ 10 TVs
▪ 15 storage cabinets
▪ 10 teacher desks
▪ 30 wooden chairs
▪ 125 assorted tables
▪ 15 library carts
▪ 40 laptop carts
▪ 5 pallets of pre-K furniture
▪ Pianos (no number is listed)
This story was originally published June 14, 2022 at 7:45 PM.
