In that neighborhood in the past year shootings have increased. By neighborhood I mean focused within a few blocks of the school. There have also been non school involved shootings/killings there.
Yes Austin and East were once different schools. But Knox County and Knoxville merged systems in the 80's IIRC and began a huge consolidation movement placing rival schools together in a campus too large to effectively control.
If you are a local my dad dad grew up in Lonsdale, Mechanicsville, and Lincoln Park. People got along. The mayor of Knoxville needs to put down the Liberal Kool aide cup and allow KPD to set up anti gang units along with an in school undercover program like Mildred Doyle did in county schools decades before.
Your dad probably went to Rule High School...
I went to South High School...Class of ‘67....