My experience with Beach Park was formed as a teacher AND parent. I remember the day I met head of…read moreschool, Kim Delaney. I was for a scheduled interview that was set up over the phone as I was covering my grounds right before summer end (2024) to place both my girls at the same program since I had one VPK ready and an incoming 1st grader that I was trying to keep close. I loved the fact the school was Montessori as I am an early childhood educator with KinderCare lead teaching background and experience across Bronx NY and Tampa FL. I've worked in professional environments since I was 18 years old.
My intentions were to get the girls inside a private program under the Step Up scholarship award that I discussed with Kim to make sure her school accepted. To my surprise not only did she say they accepted that scholarship but ALSO invited me to interview for a position as the co teacher to the primary class. I NEVER APPLIED FOR THIS POSTION, IT WAS OFFERED. A month later, I was terminated without notice or an explanation, let alone write up or staff meeting that was disrespectfully PROMISED to me the following Monday after being yelled at by BOTH lead teacher of primary, Ms. JANET and KIM Delaney because I could not make a (well known disruptive) child stop yelling during nap time.
The unspeakable treatment I witnessed (even my daughter receive from her 2 Lower Elem teachers, Mr. G and Ms. Lauren) received in the short amount of time I was there by some of the staff members was ridiculous, unnecessary and uncalled. I grew up middle class in an area where I was already used to being the only person color so being the only person of color in staff was not a problem, as many of our families were integrated.
I actually LOVED the community, the children. The problem was the ADULTS in the matter. A lot ego and insecurities for me to manage as I was often antagonized by Ms Janet, lied on by Ms Jennifer when she accused me of mentioning "white privilege" during a conversation she couldn't even remember but "claim" I said it multiple times. I literally watch Ms. Janet catch attitudes if the children were "too interested in me", she would label it attachment to the point she actually had parent conference with a child's parent about me, WITHOUT me being present to actually present the facts.
I watch Ms Lauren yell at my child for accidentally backing into another child's space. . Another day, watched her take my child's lunch one day from not her sandwich first. Lauren's response was, "we are a sandwich eating class", however when I spoke to another volunteer parent who's son was in my class, she gave me an honest observation of her son who is also in the same class and said she never had that experience. I believe my family was singled out the day they began to label me a problem. Mr G. rudely told me "I never met a child that can read but can't write to my face referring to my child whom I vulnerably shared needed writing assistance. The teachers gossip about everything but asked me to not share my opinions with other parents, as I was also a parent, which is completely hypocritical. I thought about unemployment, but God is too good to me, I was offered another opportunity as usual because I have a good heart and that's why I never belonged there.
My wishes to anyone who chooses to be a parent/teacher of different background decent but my prediction is, they will not be hiring any more confident black educators, but they will unapologetically accept tuition from them. Mixed integrated families should think twice about making this school your child's second home. The heart of child is just as important as the education.
Even after I left in peace, Kim made sure to terminate my children from her school, leaving them school-less for almost 2 months out pure spite because she no longer wanted to wait for the scholarship she told me to not worry about from day one. Imagine a 4 and 7 year old being turned away with a now terminated, single parent looking for work. By the end of that month, my daughter's scholarship was approved for full tuition and I placed her inside a real Montessori program up the street from my home, called Harmon Prep after waiting another month to process her into a new school, as I was terminated the day my sister took her life, September 7, 2024.
My only regret is that I never got a chance to say goodbye to lovely and wonderful group of children inside the primary class who dearly loved me and I still love them. I know this because I had students telling me this the 2nd week of school! It's sad star quality teachers are leaving the school system because of toxic gate keepers inside the education system.
I had a student ask me one day, what makes my skin brown, such an APPROPRIATE question for their age to ask, which let me know the children at that school never will get to experience an authentic diverse culture inside that community.
