Mary Lillard Intermediate School

I'm happy to be leaving Thelma Jones and going to a different elementary school. The structure of the school is very militant. They had kids picking up trash as a form of punishment! I have witnessed teachers belittling the kids and have the "all-powerful" attitude towards the kids. Its sad when I say we will not be back to some of the teachers/staff (that we did like) and their response is, "I understand" before I even say why!

We couldn’t be happier with this school. My son has thrived here. The teachers are attentive, supportive, and truly invested in each student’s success. The principal knows the kids personally and is incredibly engaged, which creates such a warm and welcoming environment. Beyond the classrooms, the sense of community is wonderful. Families are involved, and the neighborhood continues to grow in the best way. We feel very lucky to have found this gem, and it’s a big part of why we love living here.

From Learners to Offenders: How Pearcy STEM Discipline System Gets It WrongPearcy claims its discipline program is structured and fair, but my experience shows it conditions children to be treated like offenders instead of learners. Teachers have unchecked discretion to issue “signings” for petty actions—like my sixth-grade child being written up for a single laugh after recess. No instruction was taking place, no redirection was attempted, yet the teacher escalated directly to a formal discipline. The harm was compounded when the principal, Brooks, backed the teacher and even documented she would “check back in two weeks” on my child’s “progress for laughing.” This proves teacher discretion is always treated as right, with no accountability when staff actions damage a child’s record. Once a signing is issued, the child has no independent way to challenge it. Students are forced through a corrupt chain of command, while parents are given corrupt grievance processes that exist in name only. Emails I hold confirm this: the teacher initially refused to provide the write-up, avoided direct questions, and the school’s responses were delayed. This shows not transparency, but intimidation of both student and parent. Pearcy also conditions children to blindly sign documents such as behavior forms and classroom “contracts,” often under threat of grade penalties if they refuse. By law, students must attend school regardless of paperwork, yet they are taught to comply without question rather than think critically or advocate for themselves. Meanwhile, no comparable accountability exists for staff. Families are bound by contracts of expectations, but I have never seen a document outlining staff obligations or a clear list of what educators may not do to children in their care. Signings also build into a “rap sheet” that later justifies harsher punishments up to suspension. These marks are tracked and used as fuel to justify discipline. This system teaches children they cannot grow or learn from mistakes—they can only be monitored like criminals.This is not discipline that teaches. It silences. It strips children of their voices, pressures parents into reshaping natural behavior in harmful ways to survive mischaracterization, and legitimizes staff actions whether right or wrong. Pearcy and AISD alike must stop legitimizing petty discipline, create checks on staff authority, and provide real accountability for how children are treated.