West Charlotte Neighbors Upset Over Truancy

CHARLOTTE, NC– “They come down Tuckaseegee Road come down our street, come into our yards walk through our yards,” said Anne Miller who lives near West Meck.

Anne Miller is just one of many upset neighbors living off Tuckaseegee Road near West Meck . They called a last minute meeting with CMS and CMPD at nearby Covenant United Methodist Church for their neighborhood to express concerns. Like the constant truancy problem they say is causing havoc in their neighborhoods.

“We’ve asked for plain simple answers like what are you going to do, we’re going to send a letter, well you can send a letter till the cows come home but if nobody reads it,” said West Charlotte neighbor, Ronnie Williamson.

Paul Pratt with CMS explained in January they’ve opened a new school, Hawk Academy, which right now has 30 students who fell behind and are too old for school, but don’t have enough credits to graduate. The students are bussed to West Meck and walk to the nearby academy.

“It’s an opportunity for youngsters who are overage undercredited, 17, 18 , 19 not a Senior fallen behind,” said Paul Pratt with CMS.

According to CMPD last year they have 5 truancy calls in the first quarter, they’ve had 18 so far this year. Pratt says they can’t force kids 16 and over to stay in school.

“That’s a challenge it has been will continue to be a challenge, you have 9 building campus, 2100 students,”said Pratt.

But neighbors say CMS needs to get control over the Hawk Academy students who were added to their neighborhood with no accountability.

“Those kids it’s all hours of the day and night, they’re whatever hours the kids need they’re giving it to them,” said Miller.