NEIGHBORS APPALLED OVER SEX AND DRUGS AT SCHOOL

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- People who live near Ashley Park Elementary School say a
fence is attracting trouble. The school is located on Belfast Drive off
Wilkinson Boulevard. Neighbors say you wouldn't believe what's happening at
this school when the kids go home and the sun goes down. "The prostitutes
come, they've taken most of them off Wilkinson Boulevard and they come here
and go down to the school and peddle their wares," said Ann Burns, Neighbor.

Burns says there's also a steady stream of drug dealers doing business
behind Ashley Park Elementary School since construction crews put up a
wooden fence.

"This fence is obstructing the visibility of the neighbors that live on the
other side of the fence from seeing the activity that goes on down her so
they can call police." She said.

Ashley Park is being renovated and crews put up the fence last spring to
protect neighbors from construction noise.

Burns says the fence has done nothing but lured undesirable elements to the
school and her neighborhood after dark. She's appalled by what she's seen
happening on school property.

"They were having sex on the hood of the car, on the hood outside," said Burns.

Burns has lived across from the school for nearly 40 years. She and about a
dozen homeowners have tried unsuccessfully to get the fence down. She says
they've talked to the school, architect and the zoning board about the
problem. Burns says no one wants to do anything about it.

"It's disgraceful because this is a good neighborhood," said Burns.

Charlotte Mecklenburg school leaders say they'd like to take down the fence.

However, city zoning laws require CMS to keep it there so neighbors don't
have to look at trash dumpsters on school property.