Parents whose young children are enrolled in an Orlando private Christian school are outraged at a leader associated with the school’s alleged use of corporal punishment.
The individual reportedly used his belt to discipline several students in the class. As a result, two mothers have pulled their children from the school.
“I was hysterical. I had to leave work,” one parent told WESH.
According to reports, on Thursday, Nov. 9, between eight and 12 fourth graders from the St. Mark Preparatory School (also known as the St. Mark AME Church’s Alpha Learning Academy) were physically punished by a leader at the school, Pastor Terence Gray.
The students say the punishment came after one child scribbled on his desk. Upset that the student wrote on a school desk, the teacher sent an aide to get Gray.
Upon arrival, the pastor allegedly “slammed his things down on the desk, took off his belt, and (told them to) line up, and he beat them three times apiece. But she did state, that I believe it was three or four kids that did not get a spanking,” the parent told WESH.
Another report says he asked the children to admit who was acting out, and when they didn’t, a teacher pointed them out and made them stand up to be punished.
“He said he was going to whip us with a belt because we were being bad,” Shane Walker, a student, said.
Multiple students reported the whipping.
One father said he spoke with the staffer about the incident, and he said the “kids volunteered for it” as if it were a game, according to Click Orlando. The dad says the young boy has a bruise from the alleged incident.
“I’ve never had allegations like that at the school. I do know that is something they believe in, but I never actually known it to happen,” mom Tanezia Jackson said in an interview. Another mom, Michelle Payne, added, “It’s one thing if you contact the parent and you’re talking to them about what’s going to happen, but just…
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