FAST FACTS:
danya.bacchus@wreg.com
(Memphis 03/12/2010) Kevin Johnson leaves East High School everyday around one o'clock.
He and Centerial Johnson are two of the cooperative learning students who spend half the day at east, the other half working.
Even though the school knows they're in the program, they say its still hard for them to leave.
"It's always security in the lobby. It's not easy to leave that school," said senior Kevin Johnson.
That's why they, like other students here, are having a time believing four students were just able to walk out.
"It had to be a sneaky way that they do it because it's not easy. I'm coming out the door for the co-op I and they ask me all the time, where you going? Why you going here? So it's not easy," said senior Centerial Johnson.
But for the people who live on Red Oak Street its not surprising.
"Yeah, I always see kids got there on a regular, two or three times a week," said Rico Martin.
Martin is talking about the abandoned house on his street where a 17-year old female East High School student claims three of her classmates raped her. Martin says the house is a regular hangout for kids cutting school.
"They stay going to the house. All the school kids go to the house." They smoke, have sex, or cut class," he said.
This isn't the first time East High students leaving campus have found themselves in trouble with the law.
Three years ago, four East students were accused of going on a county wide crime spree after skipping school. The four were arrested for robbing a hair salon, a Germantown High School teacher and shoppers at Hickory Ridge and Oak Court malls.
In a statement released this afternoon, Memphis City Schools says their policies and procedures strictly prohibit all students, from leaving campus during the school day without proper authorization.
The statement says: MCS has directed all of its school-based staff to closely monitor all aspects of student attendance and if a determination is made that a student has left, or has attempted to leave campus without authorization, MCS personnel immediately takes appropriate action.
- East High Students Don't Know How Others Skipped School
- Three Students Charged With Rape
- MCS Releases Statement
danya.bacchus@wreg.com
(Memphis 03/12/2010) Kevin Johnson leaves East High School everyday around one o'clock.
He and Centerial Johnson are two of the cooperative learning students who spend half the day at east, the other half working.
Even though the school knows they're in the program, they say its still hard for them to leave.
"It's always security in the lobby. It's not easy to leave that school," said senior Kevin Johnson.
That's why they, like other students here, are having a time believing four students were just able to walk out.
"It had to be a sneaky way that they do it because it's not easy. I'm coming out the door for the co-op I and they ask me all the time, where you going? Why you going here? So it's not easy," said senior Centerial Johnson.
But for the people who live on Red Oak Street its not surprising.
"Yeah, I always see kids got there on a regular, two or three times a week," said Rico Martin.
Martin is talking about the abandoned house on his street where a 17-year old female East High School student claims three of her classmates raped her. Martin says the house is a regular hangout for kids cutting school.
"They stay going to the house. All the school kids go to the house." They smoke, have sex, or cut class," he said.
This isn't the first time East High students leaving campus have found themselves in trouble with the law.
Three years ago, four East students were accused of going on a county wide crime spree after skipping school. The four were arrested for robbing a hair salon, a Germantown High School teacher and shoppers at Hickory Ridge and Oak Court malls.
In a statement released this afternoon, Memphis City Schools says their policies and procedures strictly prohibit all students, from leaving campus during the school day without proper authorization.
The statement says: MCS has directed all of its school-based staff to closely monitor all aspects of student attendance and if a determination is made that a student has left, or has attempted to leave campus without authorization, MCS personnel immediately takes appropriate action.
