Young Scholars Academy in Fort Mohave, AZ

[Angry Parent]

To Whom it May Concern,
I am a parent that has had problems for years with Young Scholars Academy in Fort Mohave, AZ. It all started in 2003 when my youngest daughter had a dentist appointment. When the dentist was working on her teeth he numbed her mouth. She bit down biting the inside of her mouth. He prescribed her medication for the cut to heal it. When my daughter went to school, the inside of her mouth started to bleed. The next thing we knew, the Vice Principal (who has friends in the local CPS office) reported us to CPS accusing us of child abuse. We were subjected to an interview with CPS and were subjected to an inspection of our home, to determine if this report was valid. Of course, the case was dismissed as a false report. That was only the beginning of our problems with the school. Right after that incident the Vice Principal called my wife "White Trash" and those were her exact words. I was so angered by the CPS incident and the "White Trash" incident, that I decided to confront the Vice Principal. She didn't care what I had to say and only made the situation worse. I asked her if there was an organization that was in charge of the school. She told me there was only the local board (which consists of friends and family members of those involved on staff for the school). I knew that I would not get to first base nor would I receive any fair treatment from this group. So I said "There is no state organization over the local board?" She told me no only the local board. So I went to work and got on the internet to see if she was lying to me. I found that there was in fact an organization over all the charter schools, the AZ State Board of Charter Schools. I find it very interesting that she was unwilling to share this information in order to protect herself and that I had to research and get the answers on my own. Before I was going to contact the AZ State Board of Charter Schools, I wanted to see if I could voice my complaint to the PTA and all I got was the run around and could never get a straight answer from the school when the PTA meeting would be held. Since when are PTA meetings a secret? I was unable to find out when the next PTA meeting was so that I could attend and voice my complaint. So, I decided too contact the AZ State Board of Charter Schools, and I entered a complaint, and thats as far as I went with it at that time.

[Angry Parent]

Part 2 could only post part of it:
I decided to give the school another chance. Then I started noticing that my children and other children were getting in trouble for things, but the Faculty members' children were not getting in trouble for the same offensives and were allowed to do as they pleased (including harassing other students) without any action taken by the school. I made a comment about it in the office and was told that action was being taken to the faculty members' children. Once again, I was lied to, and NO ACTION was taken against these other children. The faculty members' children were still being allowed to run the school and do as they pleased. Then there was another incident this time with my oldest daughter. She hurt her foot and was given a doctors note to get out of PE and other physical activities so her foot could heal. The faculty said that the doctors note was no good and she had to participate. This resulted in her foot getting worse and taking an additional month and a half to heal then it should have. The faculty has no legal right to deny a Doctor's note where a child is concerned. The school is very lucky that no further injury was incurred or there would be a law suit involved. She asked to leave the Jr High because she said that the Jr. High staff was being very mean to her and others. I didn't believe her and thought she just wanted to go to a regular Jr. High. I wish I had listened to her. After she left that school and went to High School, we had another problem with the Jr. High Staff.

This happened in November 2007. The daughter of a faculty member of the school was sucking on a ice cream push up pop. SHE said that it looked like she was sucking on a penis. The boys started to giggle. She then went to the Jr. High staff and told them that the boys said it. The boys were told they would have to write an apology letter to her. I told the Jr. High staff that my son would not be writing any such note as my son did nothing in this incident and it was 100% the actions of the Faculty members child. At which point the Jr. High teacher started to make things worse by saying that he was going to start taking other activities away from the boys. So some other parents of the other boys and myself decided that we would all meet with this teacher and confront him on the actions of this girl and him. We all started to voice our concerns about this girls actions and the actions as a result of her actions. He then stated "I don't care what you have to say" and that is an exact quote. Since when does a teachers job duty not include listening to parents and what they have to say, not even to mention the total rudeness of such a remark. All the parents looked at each other and one of the parents went straight to the office and pulled their student out of the school. I didn't pull my son out that day, but things got worse and I pulled my son and other daughter out of the Jr. High school. Shortly after, a few other parents pulled their students out too.

[Angry Parent]

part 3

Then there was the last straw, which is why I am sending this letter. In December 2007, my youngest daughter's teacher told my wife and daughter that if she got 5 or 7 detentions (I forget) that she would not be allowed to go on the class trip to Sea World. She got no detentions that I am aware of. Then at the last second the teacher tries to call a meeting with my wife to tell her that she is now adding missing homework assignments to the stipulation of going to Sea World. But instead of keeping the meeting she canceled it over and over again to the point where it was down to 2 days before the last day to give the money for the trip. The teacher is still canceling meetings and avoiding my wife's calls. So I called the office which stood up for the teacher like always and said that my daughter can't go to Sea World even though she didn't get any detentions all year. Plus, the teacher has her child in the class almost every day and the child causes disruptions in the class all the time. This child also searches the students desks & takes things that do not belong to him. The child should be in daycare not causing disruptions to the class. To make things worse the teacher's children and husband will be going on the Sea World trip.

Just so you know the reason why these accounts are so detailed, even after all these years, is the fact every time I had a problem with the school I added that incident to my outline of events that I've kept on file through out the years that my children attended YSA. Also, I have many other parents that I have spoken with that have had the same problems that I have had, and from what I've found out that 85-90% of students taken out of that school in the last 5 years and transfered to another local school were due to problems with the Young Scholars Academy Faculty & the Faculties Children. Certainly if you check the records, you will see how many children have been pulled out of the school within this time frame. I guess the school does not mind losing students under these circumstances.

Thanks,
Very Angry Parent

[Angry Parent]

To Whom it May Concern,

I am a parent that has had problems for years with Young Scholars Academy in Fort Mohave, AZ. It all started in 2003 when my youngest daughter had a dentist appointment. When the dentist was working on her teeth he numbed her mouth. She bit down biting the inside of her mouth. He prescribed her medication for the cut to heal it. When my daughter went to school, the inside of her mouth started to bleed. The next thing we knew, the Vice Principal (who has friends in the local CPS office) reported us to CPS accusing us of child abuse. We were subjected to an interview with CPS and were subjected to an inspection of our home, to determine if this report was valid. Of course, the case was dismissed as a false report. That was only the beginning of our problems with the school. Right after that incident the Vice Principal called my wife "White Trash" and those were her exact words. I was so angered by the CPS incident and the "White Trash" incident, that I decided to confront the Vice Principal. She didn't care what I had to say and only made the situation worse. I asked her if there was an organization that was in charge of the school. She told me there was only the local board (which consists of friends and family members of those involved on staff for the school). I knew that I would not get to first base nor would I receive any fair treatment from this group. So I said "There is no state organization over the local board?" She told me no only the local board. So I went to work and got on the internet to see if she was lying to me. I found that there was in fact an organization over all the charter schools, the AZ State Board of Charter Schools. I find it very interesting that she was unwilling to share this information in order to protect herself and that I had to research and get the answers on my own. Before I was going to contact the AZ State Board of Charter Schools, I wanted to see if I could voice my complaint to the PTA and all I got was the run around and could never get a straight answer from the school when the PTA meeting would be held. Since when are PTA meetings a secret? I was unable to find out when the next PTA meeting was so that I could attend and voice my complaint. So, I decided too contact the AZ State Board of Charter Schools, and I entered a complaint, and thats as far as I went with it at that time.

[Angry Parent]

disregard comment 4 it showed that it had not been posted so I reposted it

Thanks,
Angry Parent

[Angry Parent]

Well I just received a responce from the State Board of a letter from School....Well lets pick apart the lies in it...

[Angry Parent]

School Says too State Board "As to the first paragraph regarding a phone call to our "friends" in the local CPS office: Child Protective Services does not allow phone calls to the local office regarding children and possible abuse. Any phone calls regarding abuse must be made directly to the state hotline (an 800 phone number), where, of course, we do not know any personnel. Thus, this complaint is invalid."

a complete lie the Vice Principal at the time was a foster mom too many of the most abused or neglected kids and was buddy's with the CPS local office

[Angry Parent]

School Says too State Board "Also in this paragraph it the statement that his wife was called "White Trash" by a member of my staff. My staff is very professional and would never make such a statement. If Mr.----- did ask about an organization which was in charge of the school, he would have been given information about our local governing board as information about the State Board for Charter Schools. We have never denied that information to any parent, as we have nothing to hide from our governing board or from the charter board. In addition, PTA meeting are always held on the second Thursday of each school month and a notice is sent home with each student prior to the meeting. At that time, the ---- family had four children attending our school, thus, they would have received four notices!:

Another complete lie at the time I never was told any of the information I asked for and never got any such letter from any of my children. They send letters now, but that is only because I came in the office and made a scene so things would change. They make new rules as they go along, and encounter different parents not just me. I've been told by many parents that I'm not the only one have such problems.

[Angry Parent]

The School Said "In regard to paragraph two, all students are disciplined at our school, including staff children. As a matter of fact, life is actually harder for staff children because their parents work here and have closer contact with their child's teacher, thus, they get "caught" by their parent for everything they do! Mr.---- complains every time one of his children loses recess, loses a privilege, or receives a lower grade because they haven't turned-in their work. It is always the other child's fault or the teacher's fault, but never the fault of his child (as you can see later in his complaint when he says, "it was 100% the actions of the Faculty members child")"

Once again a complete lie... I've never complained about recess, or grade ever...this was the first time i complained about losing a privilege and that is because we were lied too about why she was loosing it...and yes it was 100% the faculty members child's fault thats not my option, but all the parents involved over the years option.

[Angry Parent]

School Says too State Board "Regarding the incident where Mr. Clark states that the junior high teacher would not listen to the parents, he is incorrect. Throughout this incident, the junior high staff met on several occasions with the families to listen to their concerns. Mr.---- was just not happy with their response."

Once again a total lie...I met the Jr. High teacher in his class two days before the "I don't care what you say" incident and everything he told me he would do he didn't do that is why the parents decided to have a group meeting with him. After the incident the Jr. Staff started treating my wife and I as criminals and started following us around the campus like there were security officers and told us that we had to leave when we had every right to be there.

[Angry Parent]

School Says too State Board "Mr.---- is also incorrect about his statements throughout the letter regarding student withdrawals. Nineteen of the thirty-two eighth-grade graduates this year have attended Young Scholar's Academy since kindergarten of first grade (nearly 60%)! Not many schools have the privilege of keeping their students throughout their entire elementary and middle school years!"

Another way for the school to try to change the subject... I was talking about the students that left the school I never once said anything about the students still in the school

[Angry Parent]

School Says too State Board "Mr. Clark is correct when he states that his daughter is not being allowed to participate in the field trip to San Diego. If a child cannot behave in the school environment, they have not shown that they are mature enough to make a fourteen-hour bus trip, stay overnight in a less-structured environment, and follow directions in a crowded environment not governed by our school rules. Mr.-----'s other three children have all participated in this trip, so we are obviously not discriminating against his family in any manner! Mrs.-----'s has participated in many conferences with both of her daughter's teachers and knew that she was at-risk of losing this privilege, due to continual behavior problems and lack of effort in daily schoolwork.

Again lies... The teacher didn't even hold the meetings they kept canceling it over and over again. The meeting in December about the detentions was held and then they held one just before they kept canceling the meetings. That meeting was to let my wife know that they were adding homework assignments to the stipulation of not going it had nothing to do with her behavior at all. I told my wife to have a meeting made with the teacher so I could talk with this teach.... The school knows that when I have to go down to the school it means that things are going to be laid out on the table as I will not let anyone disrespect any on my family or try to pull one over on my wife as my wife is very much the type of person to let someone say things bad too her and not stand up for herself. I get to hear what happens when I get home from work, and thats when I get involved only & ONLY when my wife is pushed around by the Faculty at the school.

[Angry Parent]

And finally, School Says too State Board "In summary, Mr.---- is simply angry (once agin) that he cannot "rescue" his child from standard discipline. He often calls the school, yelling and complaining about the most recent issue. He storms into the office, yelling and making a scene. I have calmed him on many occasions, never once raising my voice. On on particular day, he came into the office (once again yelling) to complain about the conversation he had the day before with me. he demanded to speak with Mrs.----. I told him that I was Mrs.----(after seven years and many face-to-face conversations, he should know that!). He then began to tell me about the conversation he had yesterday with the "other lady". I told him that he and I had that conversation. He said he hadn't spoken with me; it was the "other lady". I told him what each of us had said about the conversation and he finally realized that I was the other person in the conversation! Mr.---- is simply a bully who tries to force his way onto others. He has found, many times over the last seven years, that I will not be bullied. Filing a complaint with your agency is simply his latest attempt to bully my staff into submission."

As far as me saying the "other lady" yes that happened . that happened because when I talked to her the day before she had big sunglasses on and her hair was done differently so it didn't look like the same person at all. Besides I'm a bully as the faculty states here, well if a bully is someone that stands up for them self and will not let someone take advantage of them then I'm a bully. I will stand up to the faculty at that school anytime they think they can take advantage of someone thinking that they will just let them pull one over on them. I'm not that type of person. If someone is in the wrong, and thinks that they can take advantage of some based on the position they hold in a school or even in every day stuff I will stand up for my rights no matter what. Plus, if your in the Office of a school I believe it is your job to hear parents concerns about the actions at the school no matter what. In this school that makes you a bully. So as a parent I believe that the school thinks it is above the laws of society and as long as they can bully parents and kids out of the school... it's no big deal they can just get another student to fill in that spot as far as they are concerned.

[Angry Parent]

As far as the State Board of Charter Schools is concerned they too believe that Charter Schools don't have to follow any rules that normal schools follow. This is the comment sent too me from the State Board of Charter Schools "Each charter school develops its own policies related to the daily operations of the school such as student discipline, field trip requirements, PTA involvement, etc. Our office does not have jurisdiction over such issues."

So basically, If you send your child to a charter school you are putting your self in a position to be taken for a wild ride like my family has and many others. As far as my other children are concerned they are in normal public schools now we pulled them out of this school as it is not good for children to feel so mistreated by any school staff member. As all my children have been mistreated. My youngest will finish this year and we will be pulling her out of the school. The school may think that bullying my kids out of the school will keep my mouth shut. They are greatly mistaken. That is why I made this post so other parent have the knowledge to no put their child in this school and subject them to menta abuse my the faculty it's not good for them to be treated that way by any one in an authority role. By the way my other children that are now in normal have had problems with other students at the public schools, but the difference is that it only took a phone call to get the principal on the line and the problems were resolved completely, and fast. If I call Young Scholars and ask to talk to the principal all I get for the last year is she is not available. You can't even talk too her if you go down to the school. This is quite sad that some who is in the power she is in is always unavailable to talk to now day. Not a good sign of a school worth sending a child too. I know that the faculty is reading this too so... when my youngest is not in your school anymore don't think I will just forget about the schools actions. I will always tell all my clients and friends about the schools major problems. Don't forget this is a small town and word travels quick.

All parents that have read this tell others of these actions by the school so they to won't have to put up with their wife, husband or child being taken advantage of or mistreated.

[Angry Parent]

I have passed the letter the school sent too the State Board of Charter Schools around my work. Then about 10 minutes later one of the owners pulled me aside about this comment in the letter "Also in this paragraph is the statement that his wife was called "White Trash" by a member of my staff. My staff is very professional and would never make such a statement." I was told that that was a lie by the school they remember when that happened and was appalled by the comment. So the school can try to lie to cover it's tracks, but in the real word people do remember these things.

[Angry Parent]

Edit to last sentence in prior comment......

So the School can try to lie to cover its tracks, but in the real world people do remember these things.

[Angry Parent]

I apologize for any missing words in my statements or wrong letters in some of the comments. This Comments window for the forum doesn't show you the letters you type all the time, and if you delete it shows the text icon to the left of where you are so if you delete sometimes you delete words you wanted to stay. So I thought they were typed and went on with my comment I guess thats what happens when you try to lay all your thoughts out in a fast manner.
Sorry,
Angry Parent

[Angry Parent]

I would like to thank the parents that have read this and remembered these incidents. I thank you for your calls of support. I thank you for reassuring me that I'm not the only one that is in this situation with the school of being bullied by the faculty of Young Scholars Acadamy. I also thank the parent that stated "It takes a bully to stand up to bullies" that was in regard to this comment to the State Board of Charter Schools about me by the school "He has found, many times over the last seven years, that I will not be bullied. Filing a complaint with your agency is simply his latest attempt to bully my staff into submission." That is true the only person who can stand up to bullies are bullies I guess. If thats what I am a bully for standing up for my rights and those of my children from being mistreated by the faculty of Young Scholars Academy.

Thanks,
Angry Parent

[Angry Parent]

Well once again the Faculty of Young Scholars Academy in Fort Mohave - Bullhead City has proven that they have a policy of lying to parents. The faculty told my daughter, wife and myself that our daughter was not the only one to be loosing the trip to Sea World for school work, behavior....... Well the 5th grade went to Sea World and the ONLY STUDENT NOT TO GO MY DAUGHTER. The only reason they are harassing her like they are is the fact that I have stood up too them. The fact that I am letting the Arizona Board of Charter Schools know what they are doing and I have let all of you know too. All the other parents and students they have harassed have just pulled their students out of the school without incident. Well I hate to let them know, but that wont work for me every time they harass my family I will make it public so other parents are aware of the policies of the school to harass parents and students out of the school that are individuals. If you don't act like a zombie and you have a personality the faculty doesn't like it at all UNLESS YOUR A FACULTY MEMBERS STUDENT then you have to right to do as you please. My children have been raised to be individuals and treat people with respect UNLESS THE PERSON SHOWS YOU NO RESPECT then you don't have too. None of my kids have any respect for the faculty at Young Scholars Academy. I believe that you treat someone with respect then you deserve respect. If you harass, lie, manipulate, etc. than you don't deserve respect. I will continue to post the harassment of my daughter on this site and the harassment of other families I know after all my kids are out of this HELL HOLE OF A SCHOOL that the harassment will continue of other students and parents as it is the policy of the faculty to harass. Then next post in a few days will be about the current harassment of my daughter about Water Day, but that is still happening so I will post the whole thing after Water Day so you have the whole story.

[rick haynes]

there is so much to read here, let me get this straight, all this started from a visit to the dentist's office? is this a public school? where is the dentist? why havent you gotten him to write a statement? there is a lot of questions, but you would think there is a lot more things cps should be looking into rather than a bite inside a mouth.