In 2024, Rob Burnside was principal at Lakota East High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. As far as principals go, he was beloved by students and teachers alike. Highly engaged with the day-to-day, he often sought out unique ways to connect with students.

That was how Burnside became aware of a kid named Landerius Hayes. After a quick first interaction in the hallway, neither could have any idea how both of their lives would soon change.

The pair recently sat down with CBS Mornings to finally tell their side of the story.

Principal faced with agonizing decision over homeless student

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During his junior year, Hayes’s mother moved out of the school district. Most of the time, a student cannot continue going to school in a district where they do not live full-time. But what made Hayes’s situation even more complicated was that it was not safe to live with either his mother or father.

That meant that Hayes was homeless. Sometimes he’d sleep in the car. Sometimes he’d stay at his dad’s place. But he didn’t have a full-time, stable home. He recalled cold nights sleeping in his dad’s mobile home and being hungry most of the time.

When the school district found out about Hayes’s living situation, they immediately sent a letter to Lakota East: Hayes could no longer attend........

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