CMS parents want policy change for at-risk students: 'They're hurting people'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School district admitted in federal court documents that two of the students accused of attacking an administrator last year had just returned to Harding High School after spending time at the district's only reform school.

The fight spurred a lawsuit against the district. In it, former employee Annette Albright claims she was wrongfully fired for raising concerns about workplace safety.

CMS officials told Channel 9 that disruptive students can be sent to Turning Point Academy anywhere from 35 to 180 days before heading back to their normal classroom.

Reporter Tina Terry went to CMS asking if that policy could, or should, change, but leaders said no changes are planned.

Some parents, though, are calling for a change, saying the students in the fight involving Albright shouldn't have been at Harding in the first place.

In the documents filed in federal court, CMS admitted: "Two of the students involved in the incident had just returned to Harding University High School from Turning Point Academy where they had been assigned for assault."

Turning Point is known as an alternative school, but CMS describes it as a "Redirection Program" that helps “at-risk" students improve attendance, attitude, behavior and academics.

Terry pushed to find out how often students assigned to Turning Point are released to go back to their schools. In a statement, CMS said all students are assigned to the program for either 35 days or 180 days. Then, at the end of their time, they're allowed to go back to their assigned schools.

Parent Christie Bruton told Channel 9 the students released from Turning Point involved in the fight should have never been allowed to come back to Harding.

"Some get better, some don't. Some learn, some don't. In this case, I don't think kids learned from what they did to get to Turning Point the first time" she said.

Bruton said her daughter was jumped during her freshman year at West Meck High School, and those involved returned to the school after attending Turning Point.

She wants a policy change.

“They're disrupting the kids that are there to learn,” Bruton said. “They're hurting people.”

When Terry asked how often students who are released from Turning Point end up in trouble again, CMS leaders said it would take some time to gather those numbers.

Albright's lawsuit claims she was fired because of her complaints about workplace safety before she was jumped by the students.

In response, CMS denied those allegations.

A court date for her case has not been set yet.

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