Taft Middle School

The community, teachers and principal really care about this school and it shows. I'm very happy with my children's education, I feel like they're safe and being challenged, and everyone is working hard and involved for the right reasons.

My experience with this school has raised significant concerns about professionalism, confidentiality, and the way students with disabilities are treated.During a parent-teacher conference for my child, staff spoke negatively about another student and used that student’s name while describing behavior issues. In another instance, another student’s name appeared in my child’s IEP documentation. These situations raise serious concerns about how confidential student information is handled and whether proper privacy standards are being followed.During an IEP meeting, staff members spoke critically about me while believing I could not hear them. Experiences like this make it difficult for families to feel respected or to trust that meetings intended to support students are being handled professionally.I am also deeply concerned about the school’s approach to special education. There appears to be a strong emphasis placed on “gifted” programming while students with disabilities receive far less attention and advocacy. Special education services should be taken seriously and implemented with care, but that has not been my experience.Communication with administration has often felt dismissive and confrontational rather than collaborative. When my child expressed discomfort with certain situations at school, the concern was minimized and attributed to possible “home issues” rather than being addressed thoughtfully.Another concern is that subjective opinions appear to be included in official student records, including attendance documentation. School records should remain objective and factual, not personal commentary.This school presents itself as supportive of the community, highlighting resources like food pantries and family support programs. While those resources can be helpful, they should not replace strong educational leadership, professionalism, and accountability.Families deserve transparency, respect, and a school culture where all students — including those with disabilities — are supported appropriately and where student privacy is taken seriously.Given the repeated concerns with student confidentiality, IEP documentation, and how students’ needs are addressed, I believe other families should carefully consider whether the school is meeting state and federal education requirements.