Benjamin Tasker Middle School

As a former parent at this school, I am leaving this review out of frustration and genuine concern. In my family’s experience, my child did not feel safe or supported—especially when it came to issues of homophobia and basic respect in the classroom. My child repeatedly came home upset, telling me that students were openly using homophobic and racial slurs during class while teachers seemed to ignore it. Whether intentional or not, it created an environment where certain students felt unprotected and dismissed.I was especially troubled by what my child described happening in the 8th grade English class. According to my child and others, the teacher made comments that came across as politically charged and, in their view, judgmental. My child felt targeted and uncomfortable, and I was shocked to hear that political opinions were even being discussed in class—something that does not belong in a middle school learning environment.The ongoing drama between students, particularly between boys and girls, seemed to spill into the school day constantly, and kids who weren’t involved often ended up dragged into it. What concerned me even more was the inconsistent treatment of students. Based on what I observed and what my child experienced, certain “popular” or long-standing students appeared to get away with behavior that other, newer or quieter kids were blamed for. It felt unfair and damaging to the school culture.If this school wants to protect its students and build a safe, inclusive environment, it needs to take these concerns seriously. Teachers should not be bringing personal political views into the classroom, and staff should be proactive about addressing bullying, discrimination, and harassment—not ignoring it.I hope future families have a better experience than we did, but the school leadership truly needs to step up, train its staff appropriately, and make student safety—not politics or favoritism—its top priority.

I really liked this school during 1-4th grade but after that it became just favoritism and there’s no freedom because my friends who go to public schools get way more freedom like designated time for devices more classes and more extracurricular activities I would not recommend this school.