CMS faces backlash over handling of Ardrey Kell fight investigation
Parents and activists spoke out against a fight between two students at Ardrey Kell High School during the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School meeting Tuesday night.
Inside sources told Channel 9′s Jonathan Lowe that, despite concerned parents and citizens calling for the school district to continue looking into this incident, it is being viewed as a school fight where the students were disciplined.
The district now just wants to move forward.
However, many residents said they are not satisfied with how CMS handled the investigation into the fight between a female Muslim student and a male football player last month.
Activists alleged that the male student, who identifies as multiethnic, attacked the female student because of her religion, while also using racial slurs. The parents of that male student, however, have denied both those allegations.
ALSO READ: Family calls for change after fight at local high school
Last week, both the FBI and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said there was no evidence to support criminal ethnic intimidation charges. But Muslim leaders said they are not giving up.
Activists said the racially charged situation is the reason they should take a closer look.
'There have been several racist incidents at Ardrey Kell; students are told to turn the other cheek,' one activist said.
'I know that we're short-staffed; I understand that we don't have a whole lot of funds, but I do know bullying is a huge problem within CMS,' another activist echoed.
Representatives with the NAACP said they hope even though no charges are being pressed, the impact of this controversy isn't swept to the side.
'It's important that we begin to teach implicit bias and dismantling racism training in the school system, not only for the teachers and administration but also the students,' those representatives said.
There were also calls for the district to release surveillance footage in connection with the incident.
However, the district said that since the video correlates with student records, the video is not going to be released.
VIDEO: Charlotte NAACP chapter responds to fight at Ardrey Kell High School
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
‘Global arms race with artificial intelligence': TN rep. supports xAI project moving forward
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A state representative from Memphis says he supports Elon Musk's xAI, and says the company is planning up to eight more sites in the area. Republican state Rep. John Gillespie's comments came after state representatives had a press conference on Tuesday against the project moving forward. 'Why is economic development always at the cost of poor folk? Always at the cost of low wel people? We as a city have to have higher self-esteem, we as a city have to believe better about who we are,' said State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, (D-Memphis). Pearson and other democratic lawmakers met with Memphis Mayor Paul Young on Tuesday. Republican Rep. John Gillespie (R-Memphis) says he was there too, and he has a different take on xAI. Memphis mayor meets with state leaders over xAI concerns 'I'm extremely excited and the potential of all the other things that will follow,' said Gillespie. 'We're in a global arms race with artificial intelligence.' 'We're competing not with Silicon Valley, but we're actually competing with China and Russia, and North Korea. xAI and people at xAI have said that they plan on winning that arms race,' said Gillespie. In a statement, he talked about the large amount of tax dollars the company brings also saying, 'Hundreds of Memphians are currently working in construction as xAI plans to build on at least eight sites in Shelby County. ' Rep. Justin Pearson, NAACP aim to halt xAI project in Memphis 'Right now if you do look up, xAI has four sites right now that they have and they've publicly said more are to come. I don't know how many that number is, I hope it's more than eight but I suspect it will be more than eight as well,' said Gillespie. 'Well the data that I've seen and the health department has confirmed and the manufacturer of the turbines have also confirmed, they have technology on there that makes it no more than a dry cleaning or a gas station,' said Gillespie. Mayor Paul Young said there are plans to bring more community-based testing of the air quality in the area of xAI. 'My goal is to make sure our people are protected from a health perspective and that we use this project to boost our city economically,' said Mayor Young. Gillespie says he's all for the testing. It's unclear when that testing will be happening in southwest Memphis and the Boxtown community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
CAA Amplify Summit Tackles ICE Raids, DEI Rollback, Allyship and Our ‘New Chapter of Resistance'
Creative Artist Agency's annual CAA Amplify Summit urged its attendees to become allies while protesting injustices as the United States enters a 'new chapter of resistance' that's come with President Donald Trump's second term. 'This year, the struggle has a different level of complexity … The system is now dragging people from the streets … Women's bodies are on the line, wars rage on, children everywhere pay the price,' CAA's managing director Maha Dahkil said in her opening remarks for the summit, which took place on Tuesday at the Montage Hotel in Laguna Beach, California. She emphasized the impact 'chaotically unleashed' voices of injustice have had in the nearly 200 days that Trump has been back in the White House, noting that protesting the DEIA crisis was the initial step in the fight for justice last year. 'In 2025, the road to justice, freedom and dignity somehow got harder,' Dahkil said. 'Nothing is worth the price of your humanity, and yet we see institutions, leaders, individuals who marched alongside us not so long ago fade away. The slippage of allies, the loss of pledges, the weaponization of words and three letters we don't say anymore … This is urgent.' Over the course of 15 live panels, spotlight interviews and speeches, the CAA Amplify Summit outlined how attendees can continue the fight for justice and equality as Hollywood, and the entire nation, pulls back on equity and inclusion initiatives. In the first portion of the summit, American Civil Liberties director Anthony Romero and NAACP president and director-counsel of the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund (LDF) Janai Nelson discussed the country's current political state, calling the Trump administration's actions in recent months 'an American agenda.' Romero said that he organizes what's happening in the country into three buckets: the targeting of institutions and individuals as political enemies, the targeting of the of politically weak groups ('The anti-DEI effort is just a way to score cheap political shots') and the targeting of institutions that 'undergird our democracy.' 'That's what's happening in our city right here. The idea of the military, the Marines, the National Guard, not being invited in by the governor,' Romero said. When it comes to what form of protest Americans should consider or perform, Nelson said 'every possible form,' whether it's peacefully protesting in the streets or refraining from spending money at stores or companies that have made controversial business decisions. 'It is important to be visible,' Nelson said. 'There are ways to push back against the erosion of programs and commitments that were made five years ago or even before.' Continuing the conversation around equity and inclusion, CAA's Brandon Lawrence spoke to Allen Media Group founder and CEO Byron Allen in a fireside chat, during which the business mogul shared his thoughts on the importance of ownership and how historically the Black community — despite being the second-largest consumer group in the country — has systemically never been afforded the opportunity for economic inclusion. 'As Black people, we own nothing, and we must own,' Allen said. 'That gives us a seat at the table in controlling the narrative, control how we're produced, control how we're depicted, how we're seen [and] we tell our stories. We don't let other people tell our stories. We control; that's what's important.' Woven throughout the program were spoken words and brief presentations, including a piece by 'Abbott Elementary' Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph that highlighted the need for 'joy' in the country in the midst of what some may feel are bleak times. 'This joy that I have, the world didn't give it to me. The world did not give it to me,' Ralph said as she burst into song. 'And the world will not take it away!' In addition, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Alberto M. Carvalho, shared his heartwarming journey of how his immigrant background shaped his career trajectory. He condemned schools being the target of ICE raids. 'I stand proudly in the face of abuse and oppression, intimidation and fear, for schools are places of education and inspiration and not fear and intimidation,' Carvalho said. 'That is why I have boldly declared to the nation that our schools, our places of inspiration, our temples of knowledge, are no place for immigration enforcement.' Another topic that was discussed at the summit was transphobia and rollback on protections and targeting of the LGBTQIA+ community. During a panel discussion, actress Laverne Cox and executive director of Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Melanie Willingham-Jaggers called for the re-humanization of the trans community. 'We are not an injured version of our previous selves. We're a new and different thing. And I want to tell you that, too,' Willingham-Jaggers said. 'We are not trying to go back to make America great again. We're not trying to go back to some previous, perfect time. We are a new thing.' As the event came to a close, Janelle James ('Abbott Elementary'), Sherry Cola ('Joy Ride') and Asif Ali ('Deli Boys') took the stage and discussed the power or authentic representation on screen. 'Representation is seriously everything,' Cola said. 'I definitely feel that impact, too. Asian girls, or queer girls hit me up and they feel like they've never seen a character like Alice on 'Good Trouble' before in their lives … I love being a role model in that way because that's what we were dying to see when we were growing up.' As the curtain came down for the evening, CAA's Natalie Tran bid farewell to guests, reiterating the event's desire for attendants to keep on moving in their fight for justice. 'Justice is not guaranteed; it must be fought for and it must be insisted upon, Tran said. 'We know that lives will change because of what we decide to do next, so let's commit to each other. Let's commit to each other and the work that lies ahead. Let this be our legacy, that in your moment of noise and erasure, we chose clarity, we chose each other, and we chose to redesign a collective future worthy of our stories.' The post CAA Amplify Summit Tackles ICE Raids, DEI Rollback, Allyship and Our 'New Chapter of Resistance' appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Charlotte man accused of trying to sexually assault woman after helping her with groceries
Court records obtained by Channel 9 this week say a man offered to help a woman with her groceries before trying to sexually assault her in her own apartment. It happened last week after the woman got off the bus along Monroe Road. Channel 9 Crime Reporter Hunter Sáenz learned that the woman fought back. Kristopher Davis was arrested and charged with attempted second-degree sexual offense. Police say the victim is a woman who is developmentally disabled. 'I think it always hits home a little bit more when it's someone who we know is especially vulnerable,' said Leanna Pai, who works with survivors at Safe Alliance. The domestic and sexual violence resource center says roughly 80% of women with disabilities say they've been sexually assaulted. That's 40% higher than their non-disabled counterparts. 'Someone who is an abuser or might assault someone can definitely take advantage of physical limitations, or cognitive limitations,' Pai told Sáenz. The victim told police she got off a bus with her groceries and Davis walked up, introduced himself, and insisted on helping her carry her groceries. When they got to her apartment, she told police that Davis insisted on coming inside. When he did, he told her, 'Now I'm going to have oral sex with you,' according to court records. Davis is then accused of 'smacking her twice' and also grabbed for her clothing, court documents say. She told officers she was able to run out screaming, and that got the attention of someone at the leasing office, who came outside -- that spooked off Davis. Police say that when the victim went to get help, Davis ran away. He was later caught and taken into custody and held on a $100,000 secured bond. He was then transferred to another county to face additional charges there. Pai says she wants women to know they have a safe place they can go. Safe Alliance has a 24-hour hope line that survivors can call for support and resources. That number is 980-771-HOPE and it's available in English and Spanish. (VIDEO: Former CMS educator arrested in St. Louis, accused of sexually abusing students)
