GREENSBORO, N.C. — Any parents know all too well, the fear of getting an emergency text from a school system about a lockdown, or even worse, a school shooting. The spread of school threats is rampant on social media.
In North Carolina, public schools saw two school shootings this year with one at a high school in Wilmington. A student there was charged with attempted murder. The other was closer to home, here in the Triad. A student died after a shooting at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem. The 15-year-old student is charged with murder.
These problems existed before 2020. The pandemic exacerbated many of these issues that already existed. However, are there more deep-seated problems here that we need to address, and what kind of solutions can we put into place to keep students safe?
WFMY News 2 teamed up with Guilford County Schools and law enforcement for a candid conversation about community safety, ending violence, school safety, and how to keep students safe on school grounds.
WFMY News 2 aired a “Safety Matters: A Pledge to Protect,” 30-minute special as we put school safety in the spotlight.
WFMY News 2’s Chad Silber and Tracey McCain were joined by the following:
- Guilford County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Sharon Contreras
- Guilford County Schools Board of Education Chair, Deena Hayes
- Guilford County Schools Executive Director of Emergency Management, Mike Richey
- Guilford County Sheriff, Danny Rogers
- Greensboro Police Chief Brian James
- High Point Police Chief, Travis Stroud
We invite you to watch the conversation as we discuss solutions and issues impacting students and parents.