The Harrier crashed Saturday afternooon near the end of a runway while making a landing approach at Cherry Point, home to one Harrier training squadron and three squadrons deployed to accompany Marines from Camp Lejeune. Officials are withholding the names of the victims pending notification of relatives. The Harrier is able to take off by rising vertically from a runway or ship before redirecting its thrust to fly horizontally like a conventional jet. The Marines temporarily grounded their Harrier jets, as well as other aircraft, at various times over the past two years because of safety concerns. Mecklenburg County parents who want to volunteer at their kids' schools better be prepared to undergo some testing themselves.
Some critics call the policy invasive and bureaucratic, but many parents appreciate the effort.
The screening policy, which the school board unanimously adopted last spring, is similar to the background checks performed on the district's job applicants. Felony convictions immediately invalidate a volunteer's application. School officials say there's never been a problem with a volunteer, but that the screening policy falls in line with national trends. In fact, a bill is pending in Congress to make such screenings mandatory. Chapel Hill schools have done such screenings for the past few years.