Girls Under Siege in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Our live broadcasts last week covered the cases of alleged rape and sexual assault coming from Charlotte Mecklenburg schools since school began in the Fall.

Here are a few cases we highlighted:

• A 15-year-old boy was charged with kidnapping and attempted rape of a girl at Olympic High in September. A few days later, the boy was permitted to play in a football game while wearing an ankle monitor. When the volleyball team protested in solidarity with the victim, school officials disciplined the girls.

• Last month, a 15-year-old girl was reportedly raped at West Charlotte High and sent to a local hospital.

• Also last month, Hawthorne Academy High School suspended a sophomore student after she reported being sexually assaulted in the campus bathroom. The girl said she reported the crime to school officials after sitting through a sexual assault prevention class at the beginning of the school year.

Parents ask why girls are not taken seriously when reporting sexual assault, and why the CMS school board does not take responsibility for investigating these crimes.

In response to these crimes against girls, we have asked state officials to investigate them and to boost school safety immediately.

Superintendent Catherine Truitt, in response to our reports, tweeted she would investigate these CMS cases and secure other schools to ensure the safety of girls in public schools throughout the state.