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Watkins Elementary School

5.0 (1 review)

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Christian Schools of Springfield

Christian Schools of Springfield

(3 reviews)

Please read before enrolling your child…read more I attended this school in middle school for one semester, and it was one of the most disturbing and harmful environments I've ever been in. I've waited years to write this because I needed distance to truly understand how wrong it all was. But now, as an adult in college, I feel a responsibility to speak up -- for myself, and for any family considering this school. During my time there, I witnessed staff justifying slavery using religion (Mr. Arnold). I heard Black students referred to in dehumanizing, offensive ways (We were called blacks all of the time). These weren't slip-ups or ignorance -- they were intentional, repeated, and normalized by the culture of the school. I was a mixed-race student trying to survive in an environment where racism was brushed off and spiritual language was used to mask harm. Let me be clear: this didn't happen "nine years ago" like the school's Google response claimed. I transferred there six years ago, right after a family vacation, and I remember everything clearly. The school is lying to downplay the truth and discredit former students like me. That alone should raise concern. The physical environment was just as unsafe. The building had visible mold, and the facilities were unsanitary. It wasn't a place that felt safe, supported, or clean -- emotionally or physically. To the parents reading this: I know how hard it is to choose a school that feels right. But please don't let the word "Christian" blind you. What I experienced here was not Christ-like. It was damaging, dismissive, and deeply hypocritical. This school hurt me in ways I'm still unpacking. I would never send a child there. No one deserves to feel what I felt.

Heartbreaking how religion was used here…read more I attended this school briefly and I still think about how damaging it was. Not just because of what was said -- but because of the way it was said in the name of God. This school openly excluded and shamed people based on their beliefs. I specifically remember being told that "Catholics don't go to heaven." That moment stuck with me -- not just because it's wrong, but because it made me realize how twisted things were here. The leadership didn't just allow discrimination -- they taught it. Students of color were talked about in ways that were absolutely racist, and any concerns were dismissed. The environment didn't feel safe, spiritually or emotionally. It felt like control masked as Christianity. Even as a teenager, I knew something wasn't right. Years later, I still carry those memories, and I can't stay silent knowing other kids could be walking into the same experience. This school does not represent the love or compassion that faith is supposed to stand for. Parents, please look deeper. You deserve to know the truth.

Watkins Elementary School - elementaryschools - Updated May 2026

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