Which items are banned from CMS? What to know as students start school in Charlotte

Evan Moore
·2 min read

As Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students start school on Monday, teachers and administrative staff will be on the lookout for prohibited items on campus.

At least two guns were found on CMS campuses last year, after the district set a new record with 23 firearms found during the 2021-22 school year, The Charlotte Observer reported.

The district responded by installing body scanners in its 48 middle schools, the Observer reported. The technology already existed in all CMS high schools.

Data also show that a relatively new form of cigarette may also become more common on school grounds.

More than 2.5 million middle and high school students reported using electronic cigarettes, commonly referred to as “vapes,” in 2022, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Here are the items that students are banned from bringing to CMS schools, and the punishments they could face if they’re caught with them.

What items are prohibited in CMS?

According to the CMS Code of Student Conduct, students are not allowed to bring drugs, alcohol, tobacco, vaporizers, pornographic material or weapons to school.

Prohibited weapons include:

  • Toy knives

  • Toy guns

  • Weapons not capable of propelling missiles

  • Knives

  • Guns

  • Box cutters or razor blades

  • Camouflaged weapons

  • Objects thrown from buses

  • Ammunition

  • Fireworks

  • Bombs

  • Airsoft, BB or pellet guns

  • Any object or substance that could cause injury

Toys and electronic games are not allowed without permission from the school, the code of conduct says.

Can CMS students bring cellphones to school?

CMS students can bring cellphones to school, but they must be turned off and put away during school hours, according to the code of conduct.

Cell phones can be used in school for educational purposes, including “student education, research and career development,” the code of conduct says.

Students who use cellphones during school without permission can have them confiscated and returned to their parents.

What is the penalty for bringing prohibited items to school?

Punishments for bringing banned items to school vary, according to CMS.

Level I responses, the minimum response for infractions, provide “programs and/or school options for students who are at risk for behavioral issues and may be disenfranchised from school or commit minor infractions on an infrequent basis,” according to the code of conduct. These responses may include a verbal warning, parent contact or in-school suspension.

Students “who commit serious offenses” can face long-term suspension or expulsion from school, the code of conduct says. By law, students who bring firearms or other destructive items to school must be suspended from school for 365 days.