Guns in schools

A child crosses under caution tape

Gov. Cooper approves bill requiring school threat assessment teams

BY: - July 7, 2023

In the wake of a national epidemic of school shootings, Gov. Cooper gave final approval today to House Bill 605 — a measure that will require “threat assessment teams” in public school units. School districts and charter schools will have to implement the program starting in the 2024-2025 school year.  The law will also require […]

NC legislature loosens gun laws as governor’s veto is overridden

BY: - March 29, 2023

Updated at 1:30 p.m. with House vote details and additional statements.  Updated at 2:55 p.m. with Rep. Tricia Cotham statement. Two days after a mass shooting at a Tennessee school, the North Carolina legislature loosened state gun laws by lifting the requirement for local sheriffs to approve pistol purchases as lawmakers completed the override of […]

Drug, weapon possession rose sharply in state’s public schools

BY: - March 1, 2023

Drug and weapon possession, excluding guns and powerful explosives, continued to top the list of reportable crimes in North Carolina’s Public Schools during the 2021-22 school year. The 5,250 reported incidents of students possessing controlled substances was a 14% increase compared to the pre-pandemic 2018-19 school year. Meanwhile, the 3,292 reports of students found in […]