A group of parents and teachers say they are alarmed and are calling for help after the first weeks of students being back in class at Lakeshore Intergenerational School, a non-profit charter school in Collinwood.
The group alleged in a press release that the ongoing teacher shortage and administrative mismanagement has meant bullying of children is going unaddressed, parents aren鈥檛 being notified of serious incidents like fights involving their children and multiple school closures have happened due to call-offs by staff.
鈥淐hildren are being bullied and attacked by peers,鈥� the release reads. 鈥淭eachers are unable to teach. There are no disciplinary actions put in place. Children are fearful of going to school. Many children don't feel safe.鈥�
Robyin Craig has two children at the school and represents the parent-teacher group. She says current teachers are 鈥渟truggling鈥� and 鈥渟tressed鈥� and don鈥檛 have the support they need. Meanwhile, she said teachers are being hired who have no K-12 experience and don鈥檛 have teaching licenses.
鈥淚鈥檓 worried about sending my child tomorrow; I don鈥檛 know who鈥檚 going to be in his classroom,鈥� Craig said.
Intergenerational Schools' Executive Director Brooke King said in a statement that these are normal 鈥渂eginning of the year challenges.鈥� But they鈥檙e compounded by a 鈥渦nprecedented national teacher shortage.鈥� She says the school鈥檚 safety protocols have been updated, and the school is ramping up staff training.
鈥淲e have met with parents and teachers and continue to have an open dialogue,鈥� King said. 鈥淲ith their valuable feedback, we鈥檝e updated our safety protocols and added more professional development days for staff training and support.鈥�
Craig said multiple parents have reported the front door of the building being 鈥減ropped open,鈥� allowing anyone to walk in. She said that was alarming considering the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that occurred in May.
The press release claims the lack of experience among new staff 鈥� and significant staff turnover 鈥� has made for a difficult first few weeks of class.
鈥淭he teachers are unable to control their classroom, unable to teach the children and there is no curriculum in place,鈥� the release reads. 鈥淭he classrooms are unorganized, dysfunctional, loud and chaotic.鈥�
Craig, the parent, said she is a big supporter of the school and its teachers, and said many of these issues weren鈥檛 present last year or in previous years that her children attended. She and the concerned group of parents laid some of the blame at the feet of a new principal, Beth Hampton, who was hired a few weeks before the new quarter started.
Several current teachers at Lakeshore reached out to 海角破解版, but asked for anonymity out of fear of losing their jobs. One, who has been at Lakeshore for several years, said teachers begged the administration to delay opening until new staff could be trained, but that didn鈥檛 happen.
鈥淭here was a new hire who asked for two weeks of training, and was told, 鈥業鈥檒l give you two days,鈥欌�� the teacher said. 鈥淭heir first day was a s*** show.鈥�
King said the district continues to hire 鈥渓icensed teachers and substitute teachers,鈥� but said the district faces districts with 鈥渓arger budgets recruiting our teachers in higher-than-normal numbers.鈥�
Craig did provide an email she received from the Lakeshore administration notifying parents of multiple days now planned when the school will be closed for staff training in September.
