Kids as young as five being searched on IPS buses

Police are performing random weapon searches on school buses as they arrive to IPS schools, but some parents say the method scares young children who don't understand what's happening.

The searches are not new, the school district said.

"The bottom line is we're going to do everything we can to keep our kids safe," said John Althardt, a spokesman for IPS.

Althardt said officers were checking buses at random at elementary, middle and high schools in the district. They're looking for weapons and trying to use the method as a deterrent for kids who might bring weapons to school.

One parent said his five-year-old twins, both in kindergarten, and his second grader all came home from school and told him about the searches.

"It made them feel like they had done something wrong," the parent told Fox59.

After hearing from that parent, IPS officials said they were talking about informing the parents of younger children after their child's bus had been searched.

"It would defeat the purpose of the random nature if we let the community know in advance," Althardt said. "However, we are looking at whether it would be good from an educational standpoint to let parents know, especially our younger students, after those searches have occurred."

That parent said that he would've wanted to hear from the school--not his kids--about the search. He said knowing ahead of time still wouldn't calm his concerns that his 5 year olds were being searched by police.

"How would you feel if your kids come home, (and) feel violated from going to school?"