DO NOT PUT YOUR CHILD IN THIS SCHOOL. PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST.
My son had an extremely disturbing experience with his second-grade teacher, Mr. Sumayang. My son reported that this teacher was kissing him and spanking him on his butt, and he told me similar behavior happened to other boys.
What makes me even angrier is how Principal Angela Krenkel handled my complaint.
I reported these serious concerns to her, and instead of taking what my child was saying with the level of urgency I believe it deserved, she minimized the behavior by telling me it could be a "cultural thing" because the teacher was from another country.
Absolutely unacceptable.
I asked her: If this teacher were spanking YOUR butt and kissing you without your consent, would you call it a cultural difference? Would he still be employed? Or would you immediately consider that inappropriate conduct and demand something be done?
Yet when a SECOND-GRADE CHILD was reporting this behavior, somehow excuses were made.
Even more disturbing to me, after I reported what my son said happened, this teacher remained at the school and was still teaching approximately a YEAR later.
A YEAR.
That means that after a parent came forward with allegations involving inappropriate physical contact with a young child, I saw a teacher I had reported continue to have access to children. I cannot adequately express how unacceptable that is to me.
SHAME ON PRINCIPAL ANGELA KRENKEL.
Shame on a school administrator who, in my experience, failed to take my child's allegations seriously enough. Shame on an administration that I believe should have prioritized protecting children rather than minimizing a parent's concerns. And shame on any adult entrusted with children's safety who hears a child report inappropriate touching and does not respond with the urgency that child deserves.
Children do not have the same power adults have. They cannot hire attorneys, call the police, investigate their teachers, or stand up to school administrators. THEY DEPEND ON US TO PROTECT THEM.
My son still talks about Mr. Sumayang and refers to what happened as the "bad things" his teacher did to him. Hearing my child continue to talk about this is heartbreaking.
Eventually, I filed a police report and got law enforcement and detectives involved. The matter has been under investigation. I find it incredibly troubling that I had to escalate this outside the school system before I felt the situation was finally being treated with the seriousness it deserved.
As a mother, I will always believe my child and advocate for him. I refuse to be intimidated or silenced when it comes to protecting my son.
And unfortunately, my concerns about this school do not end there.
My son has also struggled tremendously with reading and is academically behind. I deeply regret not researching the school's academic performance and state ratings more carefully before enrolling him.
Parents, PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE ENROLLING YOUR CHILD HERE. Research the school's current state rating, test scores, reading and math proficiency, academic performance, and--most importantly--how its leadership responds when a child or parent raises a serious safety concern.
I trusted this school to educate and protect my child. Based on what my family experienced, I regret ever placing that trust in them.
Our children need adults who will speak when they cannot.
PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER THIS SCHOOL...STAY AWAY! read more
