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CMS confirms letter claiming students must pay fees to do assignments is a hoax

A fake letter going around Charlotte classrooms claims CMS is charging students to complete their assignments. The district confirmed the letter isn't real.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A fake letter going around some Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools classrooms claims the district will now be charging students to complete their assignments. 

The letter was forwarded to WCNC Charlotte's VERIFY team, which contacted CMS immediately, and they confirmed the letter is not real and students will not be charged fees to do their assignments. 

The letter lists classroom fees at the top. For example, it claims all assignments will cost 10 cents due to paper costs. Borrowing a pen or pencil would cost students 50 cents and a pencil sharpener fee is $1.

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But it also has a lot of red flags, some of which give it away immediately that the letter is fake. First, if you look at the date listed at the top of the page, it says Sept. 23, 2021, but looking at the next date, it states Sept. 23, 2020. 

Next, the names listed for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education aren't actually the names of CMS board members. They're the names of Durham Public School Board members. 

Credit: WCNC

The names listed for the CMS board of education are not actually on the CMS board. These are the names of Durham Public School Board members. 

CMS sent the following statement to WCNC Charlotte via email: 

"We are aware of the hoax. We are not charging fees to students or families."

This letter is an example that people should always read the fine details closely.

Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit /verify.

   

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