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Neighbors concerned about students leaving school through broken fence

By Tina Terry, wsoctv.com
By Tina Terry, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Channel 9 cameras set up behind Harding University High School spotted more than half a dozen teens walking through a broken fence.

Some students cursed at an Eyewitness News reporter asking if they were supposed to be in school and others said they were going home.

Some students saw the camera and quickly turned around to go back to school.

"We're steady watching. They come down they stand here and smoke in the middle of the street," said neighbor Eula Bashir.

Neighbors said the teens hang out behind their homes all day long. Last week frustrated police said some students skipping school have been involved in home break-ins.

READ our past coverage:  CMPD: More students skipping school, breaking into homes

They told police they committed the crimes because they were bored.

"Nobody wants to go to work all day and some kid stole your TV and just trashed your house because they didn't have anything to do," said neighbor Kimberly Woods.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders told Channel 9 on Wednesday they're aware of the broken fence.  They've fixed the problem three times since 2012.

Each time, someone breaks it again.

In a statement, CMS said the current principal "has requested the fence be replaced with a more permanent structure."

School officials didn't say when they'll replace the fence, but until they do neighbors said they'll stay on guard.

"I'm concerned. We just moved down here you know," Bashir said.

Leaders said there are security cameras on campus and a campus security officer used to monitor them all day.

This year, the officer only watches during certain times.

School leaders said they wanted that officer to have more time to patrol other parts of the school on foot.

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