Teachers Now Escort Kids To The Bathroom At High School

[matcom]

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SHALLOTTE, N.C. -- Kristen Hughes said if she and her classmates are going to be treated like kindergarteners, they should at least get recess and nap time.

The West Brunswick High School student is reacting to new policies established in the wake of several incidents.

School officials began revoking student privileges after three bathroom trash cans were set on fire and fire alarms were pulled intentionally. Each incident required an evacuation, cutting into class time for students and teachers.

Security cameras helped catch the culprits, who were apparently smoking in the restroom during times they should have been in class or on their way to lunch. The culprits were punished, but all students are still being punished for the mistakes of those few. Now, teachers must escort students to the bathroom and to the cafeteria.

English teacher Sherrill Jolly told The Star-News that the recent events at the school have served as a lesson in making teachers more aware of students' whereabouts.

"We're really more diligent in questioning people than we were before," she said.

But that doesn't mean she enjoys enforcing the restrictions.

"I don't want to be the warden. I want to be able to trust them," she said.

Senior student Kyla King, president of West Brunswick’s student council, said some students are taking the restrictions in stride, walking around with homemade T-shirts with fake prison inmate numbers on them.

Principal Jim Jordan said teaching his student body about safety and responsibility is the reason they're being treated like preschoolers. He said some restrictions may be lifted, but the school won't go back to the way it was before the incidents.

http://www.wftv.com/education/10253629/detail.html