Parents ‘tired of it’ after Tacoma middle school locked down 9 times for ‘Kia Boyz’
Nov 18, 2023, 10:46 AM | Updated: 12:16 pm
Photo from KIRO 7()
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Parents at a Tacoma middle school are upset, after their kids were put on lockdowns multiple times.
“Just the way that they’re being able to live amongst their peers is in jeopardy, I’m tired of it,” said Jennifer Lacey.
Her kid is a 6th grader at Hilltop Heritage Middle School.
Residents are blaming the self-proclaimed “Kia Boyz.”
There were two lockdowns at the school on Friday. Tacoma Public Schools confirmed in a statement to KIRO 7 that there have been at least nine total lockdowns this school year alone.
“There were two modified lockdowns called today at Hilton Heritage in response to erratic driving in the school parking lot, and then to the police response to the incident,” the district told us. “The new number is seven modified lockdowns and two full lockdowns.”
Parents are tired of it happening at their kids’ school.
“We have what they’re calling the ‘Kia Boyz’ driving stolen cars on and around school property and flashing weapons and yelling at students,” said parent Sarah Meaden.
She lives right across the street from Hilltop Heritage, where her 7th grader goes to school.
Meaden told KIRO 7 that she constantly hears the “Kia Boyz” driving up and down the street.
“We can hear the tires and then we can hear the announcement over the PA that says, ‘we’re now in a lockdown,’” she explained. “It’s never fun hearing that when your kid is over there.”
She found out about Friday’s lockdowns from her son.
“Him texting me before school even started saying, ‘hey, I’m going inside early because there’s a lockdown because the Kia Boyz are out front,” Meaden said.
A parent sent KIRO 7 the photo below of a red Kia parked out front of Hilltop Heritage. It was taken about 15 minutes before school started on Friday.
