Freshman Closed Campus: Praise & Scorn at East

Andy Hall:

Chiengkham Thao says it's working.

Anna Toman and Moises Diaz think it's got problems.

They and the 420 or so members of their Madison East High School freshman class find themselves part of a grand experiment -- the first Madison high school in at least a dozen years to close its campus.

The school's 1,400 older students still are allowed to lounge outside during their 30-minute lunch break.

Better yet, they're able to jump into cars for a dash from 2222 E. Washington Ave. to Burger King, McDonald's or Taco Bell.

But for East's freshmen, there's one choice for lunch -- the cafeteria -- as school officials attempt to reduce the school's truancy rate.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at September 23, 2006 6:22 AM
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