Alleged brutal attack at Ardrey Kell High School sparks calls for hate crime investigation

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Leaders from the Islamic Center of Charlotte, alongside the family of a female student, are demanding a thorough investigation into an alleged attack that they claim was fueled by racial and religious hatred at Ardrey Kell High School.

The incident reportedly occurred during a math class. According to the victim’s family, a football player at the school verbally assaulted the student with racial and religious slurs before physically attacking her, punching her multiple times in the head and face.

The family is now calling for a hate crime investigation into the matter.

Though the identities of the students involved have not been released, both individuals are currently under suspension while the investigation continues. The family of the alleged victim expressed their dissatisfaction with how Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) has handled the situation, emphasizing their belief that the response has been inadequate.

On Wednesday afternoon, CMS held a news conference to address the alleged incident:

This incident is just one of several fights reported at CMS schools in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Mallard Creek High School saw an outbreak of violence when a large fight involving a group of girls led to increased security at the campus.

The rising tensions in local schools have parents and community members calling for stronger measures to ensure student safety and address underlying issues.

Below is a statement from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on the incident:

We are aware of the incident that occurred at Ardrey Kell High School last week. Due to FERPA and privacy laws, we cannot release or comment on any information that has been shared by outside parties.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools does not tolerate violence in our schools and we will deal with infractions accordingly. CMS will continue to utilize the Student Code of Conduct to address matters as needed for all students.

Ardrey Kell High School followed all policies and procedures as outlined in the Board Policy Manual and Student Code of Conduct, including involving law enforcement, calling 911 immediately, and providing medical attention.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department School Resource Officer assigned to Ardrey Kell High School was present at the scene and immediately initiated the appropriate investigative process.

This is now an ongoing police investigation, and it is important to note that the determination of whether this or any incident constitutes a hate crime falls under the jurisdiction of law enforcement, not the school district.

Again, due to privacy laws we cannot comment further on the incident. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is the lead law enforcement agency involved with this incident. If you have further questions, please reach out to them.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

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