A Florida school asked second-grade students to submit a photo of themselves reading homework in a bathtub — and then kicked out a student whose parents complained.
Misty and Christopher Dunham reach out to their daughter Mackenzie’s teacher at Victory Christian Academy in Jacksonville and ask “what are the intentions” for the homework assignment. Action News Jacques said,
The reaction of the 8-year-old teacher was not up to snuff.
“She sent a message saying, ‘You should be in pajamas, be in your uniform, have fun with it.’ But, it didn’t sit right,” Misty Dunham reportedly said.
“The bathtub is not suitable for taking a picture for a child.”
Misty Dunham then escalated the situation to the administration of Victory Christian Academy when she was told that “we’ve been sending this homework assignment for years, and you’re the one complaining about it. According to a police report filed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office , just cover your baby in pillows or pajamas.
Misty Dunham, the mother of an 8-year-old, was told that the school “has been sending out this homework assignment for years, and you’re the only one complaining about it.”
Pastor Jesse Latta, president of Victory Christian Academy, wrote in a statement that the assignment was “taken from an online teacher resource and has been used in many schools.”
Pastor Jesse Latta, president of Victory Christian Academy, defended the school in a statement, writing that the assignment “was taken from an online teacher resource and has been used in many schools.”
Misty and Christopher Dunham accuse Victory Christian Academy of retaliating against McKenzie by kicking him out of school without reason. Misty Dunham said that following the complaint, the school requested the return of the parents and when she and her husband refused, it went ahead with an administrative withdrawal.
Christopher Dunham said, “She did something right by telling mom and dad that she wasn’t comfortable with something, and she’s not in school anymore.”
While Latta declined to confirm or deny whether the school forced Dunham’s daughter to drop out, he said the school does not plan to repeat the assignment in the next school year.
“While the assignment was completely flawless, with great care and to make no misunderstandings, our administration has removed this particular assignment for any future use,” Latta said. “We value our children and their safety is our top priority. We will continue to serve the children and families in whom the Lord has pleased us to participate in their lives.”