He previously was assistant principal at Duncan and principal of two Polk elementary schools. The schools reported an enrollment of 516 this month, mostly boys in grades 6 through 9. At Duncan, for example, out of a total of 294 students, eight are seniors. The reasons can include fighting with other students, disrupting class or attacking a principal or teacher. He added that truancy is never a factor - the opportunity centers do not deal with that.
Some students are on house arrest.
But not at school. Lawhon said students at the opportunity centers are supervised so closely that even the rowdiest troublemaker doesn't find much opportunity for mischief. They don't wander about the school on their own, he said, and are watched - even between classes. Classes are small, and students get concentrated, individual attention from teachers. If the behavior problems are not corrected, a student might stay a year or more.