Ohio Principal Adopts Homeless Student After Losing His Job
When Rob Burnside learned his student would be expelled for homelessness, he brought him home and risked everything. A year later, he became the teen's legal guardian.
Rob Burnside lost his job as principal of Lakota East High School in Cincinnati for one reason: he refused to let a homeless student fall through the cracks.
When junior Landerius Hayes's mother moved out of the school district in 2024, the district sent a letter saying Hayes could no longer attend school. What made it worse was that Hayes had nowhere safe to go. He was sleeping in cars and his father's unheated mobile home, hungry most nights.
Burnside knew the statistics. Of the 1.5 million homeless students in American public schools, only about 70% graduate high school. He wasn't about to let Hayes become another statistic.
The principal brought Hayes into his own home to live with his wife Angel and their children. When the school district found out, they gave Burnside an ultimatum: resign or be terminated. He chose to leave.
Hayes tried to stop it. He offered to move back with his mother so Burnside could keep his job. "DeDe, you're part of this family," Burnside told him. "We're not gonna turn our back on you."
One year later, Burnside and Angel made it official by becoming Hayes's legal guardians. They had adopted two children before and knew how to navigate the system. The guardianship meant Hayes could return to school in the district and finish his education with a safe place to sleep every night.
Sunny's Take
Hayes crossed the stage at graduation in May 2026, defying every odd stacked against him. "At first, I was in a cold car, barely eating, barely in a school," he told CBS Mornings. "And now, it's just, I'm eating now. I'm in the house, being a kid."
Burnside never returned to education in Ohio and now works as a training manager for a workwear company. He's a father to seven children now, including DeDe, who is pursuing a career as an aviation mechanic.
When asked about regrets, Burnside had none. "I had nothing to gain out of this other than this is a kid that I care about, our school cares about, and we want to help."
One principal saw a student who needed help and chose family over his career.
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Based on reporting by Upworthy
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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