I truly did not want to leave this review, but multiple negative experiences with the way things are done in this school system warrants a proper review. My daughter has been in the Taylor ISD school system her entire school career, from pre-k to where she is now, an 8th grader. Her early years in Taylor's schools were fine. Nothing to write home about, just typical public school issues that we handled as they came.
Fast forward to her starting at Taylor Middle School and I have absolutely nothing nice to say about this school apart from the principal being decent at her job (Moller is a sweetheart and tries), and another teacher my kiddo is fond of). My issues stem from several areas, and I'll start with the biggest, most glaring problem - attendance.
My girl has had fantastic grades and attendance her whole life. During Elementary school, we would celebrate her accomplishments by taking her out early, maybe 1 p.m. on days we knew she had no tests or anything significant to be present for. When she went into 6th grade, I discovered that TMS does attendance per class, and regardless of when she's taken out, whether 10 a.m. or 3, she will be counted as "absent" for the entire day. It's a punishment to do this to kids, to so strictly enforce something most kids have zero issues meeting, aside from their personal home lives or illnesses that might warrant higher absences.
If that doesn't mean anything to you, then maybe this next part will matter more. The office ladies who work at this school are ALL incredibly rude. When you're waiting in the pickup line, this older lady with short dark hair taps on the window of your car and barks to move up, even if there's nowhere to move up to. When you have to go into the office, they play favorites with parents who are chronically involved in their kid's school life, discussing their plans and playing catch up while you're just trying to get someone to talk to you at the miserable little window they have for parents.
If you have to come here for an event, like a Pep Rally, they ask you to check in at the front to make things faster. Fine. What they DON'T tell you is that anyone who checked in early will be pushed past you, regardless of how long you've been in line, because they got that fast pass kind of thing going on. I wouldn't mind being politely asked to let someone who's already check in get past me, but when you yell at me to move and act like you're a bouncer at a club barring undesirables, then you've immediately upset me. Respect is a two way street and not once have these office staff ever been respectful to me. They don't value my time or that I've had a child in their school longer than some of them have even worked at the school.
They let teachers teach whatever they desire. I'm not talking religion, politics, or social issues, though those are probably covered in certain classes too. I only know that last year specifically my daughter had a teacher who instructed them to use AI, to engage with it and allow it to problem solve for them. I find this incredibly inappropriate. Do not force AI down a kid's throat. My daughter rightfully refused to use ChatGPT for her assignments because she's smarter than the woman hired to teach her. That lady no longer works at TMS, but their standards are very low if that's the best they could do.
All said, if you CAN enroll your child in a different school, I'd recommend doing so. TMS does not care for you, your kid, or anyone not in their inner circle. Got a kid who plays football? They'll be your bestie and bend over backwards to give you what you want. If you're not a "popular" parent, you get the "What do you want" rudeness.
Edited to add the situation with the office and not answering their phones! If you have to call TMS, you will not get anyone to pick up. I have literally never been able to connect with someone immediately, I have to call the superintendent number to get to a girl who'll redirect my call to the middle school. The numbers online just bring you voicemails that are always full. read more
