Judah Christian School

This school was okay at the lower levels. There were some good teachers in lower elementary, but the attitude shifts toward something much more destructive, insensitive and coldly authoritarian at the middle elementary school level. They have some teachers who are so overbearing and autocratic they strike fear into the heart. Children are reprimanded for things so minor as: talking outside during a fire drill, speaking a single word in the hallway, and even taking the initiative with their parents to complete homework assignments early! (Teachers demand total control over everything, including precisely when homework gets done, regardless of the needs and schedules of individual families, so parents are expected to offer up this same blind obedience to the teachers too.) A "clip chart" is used in the classroom to monitor the children's every move. They are always on trial for "behavior". It is abused. My son saw a little girl whisper an accusation about a peer into a teacher's ear about another student and the other student was "clipped down" just based on the rumor. I know about children "reporting" other children for minor infractions, then laughing when the children get their clips moved. (The teacher ignored the mean behavior.) Children have gotten "clipped down" for everything from going to the bathroom to an involuntary chuckle when a peer did something funny. (I guess laughter is punished at Judah too.)

I have witnessed teachers making inaccurate negative assessments of children based on their personal biases without batting an eye. I personally had my child's teacher get up in my face and scream at me when I challenged her, telling me that all of the teachers gossip about me and accusing me of being "unreasonable and impossible to please". (I had not had any problems in lower grades.) She did this to me IN FRONT OF MY CHILD! (Pardon the caps, I don't have an underscore.) (This is what they do to you if you challenge them.) The principal talks a good game, but manipulates language to side with the teachers, no matter what (as they are all one family), defending them from criticisms and accusing the parent of being the one with the "problem". Teachers and administrators talk about parents behind their backs. Complain or challenge them and you will be blacklisted. Believe me, these people keep score! Their attitude is basically, "We can't come right out and say we think we're perfect, but we're actually closer to perfect than anyone else, so if you don't like it, leave."

This school is "Christian" in name only. In addition, they teach bad theology. ("Worship" is "expressing approval of God".) Really...Gee God, I approve of you!

While some children will survive it intact, (especially if they are teacher's pets, of otherwise favored, and if their parents keep their heads down, mouths shut and remain in compliance with every unreasonable teacher demand), it has the potential to break the spirits of children. I know that it stresses many parents out, but nobody likes to admit it because nobody wants to be blacklisted. The overall environment is one of harshness and rigid demands. (One fourth grade teacher told her class, "If you're not all on that line by the time I count to 10 I'm clipping you down!") Rigid expectations, threats, forced compliance...all in an environment of "Christian love".

I moved my son before they destroyed him.