Employees at Success Academy are breaking their silence claiming student behavior is so bad they're afraid to go to work.
Multiple educators and staff called,emailed, and dropped off anonymous letters after Four In Your Corner aired a story detailing parents' concerns after videos surfaced of female students giving male students lap dances in the classroom during school hours.
Since the story about seductive dancing in the classroom aired, thedistrict has confirmed the substitute teacher in the classroom at the time was let go and placed on the "Do not call" list.
Anonymous letters dropped off at Fox 4 detail discipline is not enforced and claim when referrals are written they're often not processed to "make the data look good so Success looks good on paper." Other claims of overcrowded classrooms with some of the most challenging kids in the county are also listed.
Four In Your Corner has asked the Lee County School District for the number of referrals given to students at the academy for the past two years. A district employee tells Four In Your Corner they're working on our request.
A different anonymous letter asks for an investigation and assistance with the growing problems at the Academy detailing that student discipline and dress code are not enforced resulting in student fights without any negative consequences. The educator also states there are problems with staff-to-student ratios, student supervision and calls the atmosphere at the academy "too volatile and unsustainable" to be successful.
"You're told to shut the {explicit} up, leave me alone," a former employee said. "If we say something to discipline students, we're threatened on a daily basis."
Another employee says fights are constantly breaking out, causing staff to tremble in fear.
"I've seen riots break out. Riots where cafeteria staff are running for cover because so much is going on. Staff are running for cover because so much is going on."
Other employees claim school personnel has caught girls in a school bathroom getting ready to perform a sex acts and have caught other students bringing drugs even after their search sweeps.
"Girls hide stuff in their bras, boys hide stuff in their shoes, walk on their tippy toes so they get through search," a former employee said. "More needs to be done."
