CHARLOTTE — Dozens of students at Olympic High School in southwest Charlotte gathered on Friday morning, staging a walkout and protest amid sexual assault allegations.
The students walked out of their classrooms shortly after school started and had congregated in the parking lot and on the sidewalk along Sandy Porter Road, chanting “we’re not leaving” and “lock him up.”
Several students locked arms and were yelling “enough is enough.”
Channel 9 reporter Ken Lemon was at the school and could see more than 100 students participating in the protest.
The protest came after two separate sexual assault allegations involving Olympic High School students.
Channel 9 confirmed one allegation involves a student-athlete. A CMS source said the student was arrested over the summer for a sex assault that happened off campus. After the arrest, the student was ordered to wear a ankle monitor and played in an Olympic High School football game with the device on, the source said.
Additionally, the school district said last week in a statement that it was aware of a report of an alleged assault of a student on the campus.
“Law enforcement launched an immediate investigation and an arrest has been made. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to discuss the details of this case. We are not aware of any message being sent to families. We have been in contact with CMPD and will continue to provide any support needed,” the statement read.
CMS said on Friday it had taken action “to protect classroom instruction at Olympic High School from disruption and to maintain safety of the school’s student-athletes during practices and competition. We cannot provide any further detail of those actions and cannot comment about any individual student due to FERPA.”
CMS said the district and school leaders support the right of students to demonstrate when they feel such expression is necessary. Officials said school leaders had met with student organizers and worked together to “minimize disruption to the learning day while offering students the opportunity to share their concerns.”
(WATCH BELOW: CMS makes changes after claims of sexual assaults)
Channel 9 spoke with student organizer Serenity Simpson, who said frustrated students feel that their voices have not been heard.
“It has to be talked about. Sexual assault keeps getting thrown on the backburner. They want to silence our voices and we’re not having it,” she said. “We’re tired of being told what we can and cannot say. When girls don’t even feel safe to come to school -- we just want to learn ... We’re scared to even walk to the bathroom without something happening to us.”
According to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department report, on Sept. 14, a juvenile reported that she was sexually assaulted by a 15-year-old boy during the afternoon on Sept. 13 at Olympic High School.
The boy, who police said knew the victim, was interviewed by detectives and was charged with attempted second-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping and sexual battery.
No other details about that incident have been released.
“We are done talking,” Simpson said. “We are about action. We want something done now.”
The students protesting Friday also voiced concerns about a situation at a recent football game. They claim an athlete was allowed to play even after being charged.
“In view of recent events, district leadership is reviewing procedures related to eligibility for participation in extracurricular activities,” CMS said in a statement. “We will share any changes in current procedures when any such changes occur.”
Some students said it is a tipping point.
“We want them to know that this is not OK and it’s not acceptable that he can come back to school,” student Hajjah Harrison said. “He should be in a jail cell.”
“Moving forward, any student-athlete that is arrested or charged with a criminal offense will not be allowed to participate in athletics while the charges are pending,” CMS Athletic Director Erica Turner said.
Channel 9 learned that one student was detained by police during the protest after reportedly throwing a small object at the school’s principal as he spoke to the crowd of students. No other information was released.
Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.
(WATCH BELOW: ‘We’re not leaving’: Students protest outside Olympic HS after alleged sex assault)
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