Metro parents complain about conditions at the school

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Some Charlotte - Mecklenburg school (CMS) district parents claim the district has ignored them and given them broken promises. Metro school is for severely disabled students in the district. It has about 250 students. Parents say their complaints date back to 2012.

"It's all the little things that would be hard to quantify," Metro Concerned Parent said. "But if you were able to walk through the school today and see where it was 3 years ago, you'd say this feels like a very different school in terms of warmth, caring and involvement."

Parents' biggest concern is the automatic front door at the school. It allows students in wheelchairs to enter the building independently. The problem is the door doesn't work.

"You have to wait," Metro Concerned Parent said. "For someone to notice that you need assistance entering the building."

CMS tells WBTV it keeps doors locked for safety reasons. Parents argue there should be someone in the office who can open the door for the inside to help parents.

"We're working on a way that can be activated from the front office." Assistant Superintendent for Exceptional Children Gina Smith said.

Parents claim they have heard that before and nothing has happened.

"It's up," Smith said. "It's there. It's working about 50% of the time and that's just in the last couple of weeks, so I hope by the first of the year - that door will be up and working consistently."

Parents also worry about older students denied access to outside activities. The age range of students at Metro goes from 3 to 22.

"Fresh air is important," Metro Concerned Parent said. "These are children - more than anybody else need the opportunity for a break from distraction. Their attention span can be very short."

CMS argues older students do go outside, but parents disagree. They want more activity for students.

"Putting in Bocci ball court," Concerned Metro Parent said. "Or doing other development like putting in appropriate age equipment and or table for that nature. It's been two years and we haven't gotten anywhere."

There is CMS paperwork that shows Metro principal was supposed to discuss getting more age appropriate equipment with parents back in August. Parents say that did not happen.

"Frustrated and almost to the point of giving up," Metro Concerned Parent said. "But we know we can't. We have to fight for our kids."

CMS says 250 families attend the school and complaints are coming from only a few.

"Sometimes when adults disagree," Smith said. "Relationships can be strained and become tense."

Parents are also concerned about their ideas getting shot down. Metro's Parent Teacher Organization has raised thousands of dollars and wanted to use it to create a sensory room. Administrators say research shows a sensory room wasn't best, but sensory items were purchased for the classroom.

"It's best when parents work with the school to identify needs," Smith said. "As opposed to parents on their own what they think might be best."

"There is no encouragement there for parent involvement," Metro Concerned Parent said. "And it's very difficult from a parental point of view to get anything done there."

"I would reassure them," Smith said. "That they have been heard and that we will continue to address issues that come forward."

Parents find that hard to believe. They have started a petition and are taking their concerns to the state. CMS says Metro school is in compliance with ADA requirements and say the school is doing right by students. The district says it will review how it is communicating with parents to help ease concerns.

"What can we do differently," Smith said. "How can we address this. Are there ways that we can lighten up or adjust one of our policies or procedures?"

Parents say they will continue to fight until their issues have been resolved.

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