We, the parents, of the students at Midlands STEM Charter School need change to occur so our students can thrive, and be happy at their school. Our student's mental health is declining every day because of the unnecessary stress caused by the principal of Midlands STEM, Cynthia Prince. Cynthia Prince has ran more than 10 teachers out of that school in less than two years. In this year alone, 4 teachers left in the first half of the year. This has a direct impact on students, due to the fact that there are only 13 teachers at the school. The teachers can no longer put up with being harassed. Ms. Prince watches their classroom camera's during the entire school day. Many students have reported that Ms. Prince will call their classroom and tell the teacher to fix something going on in there. For example, a student informed us that Ms. Prince called the teacher's cell phone during her planning period and told her to tell the student in her room to get off the desk. He was sitting on the desk watching the presentation that two other students were giving. This student was done with his SC Virtual class for the year and was doing no harm. This is harassing teachers, and it happens daily. No one should be looking at a teacher's classroom 24/7. When you go into her office,  that same room is always up on her large screen tv. There are at least 5 students who have served ISS this year who have witnessed this. They came back telling their friends and parents that this same classroom was playing on her tv the entire day. If you would survey the students, teachers, staff and parents, you would know everything, but no one has taken the time to do so.

The students are miserable, and they deserve better. Students are supposed to feel safe, loved and happy at their school, not stressed, depressed, and walking on eggshells. They don't know what rule Ms. Prince will make up next, how she will punish them next or if she will be in a great mood. She needs to understand that they are children and you cannot prevent every incident from occurring. This is unrealistic and most of what comes out of her mouth is extremely unrealistic. It is obvious that she has never been a classroom teacher. The students and teachers no longer want to go to that school, and more than 33% of the students are not coming back next year.  We were recently told that it is was official; "the two best teachers were leaving." Our students have two beloved teachers at Midlands STEM. They have made impacts on our students, unlike any other teachers before them. They don't just impact the students they teach, and this is shown when the elementary students run to Ms. Ferrugia to hug her when they see her. We have also been  officially told that these two teachers are leaving because of how they are treated by Ms. Prince. One sixth grade student wrote, "the thing that makes me mad is that she harasses you so much, and I can tell you're tired of it, because she does it to everyone else too." Another wrote, "I didn't have any problems with her last year. The problems with me and her started this year because she things she's better than all of the teachers and staff and students and I'm not okay with that , and the way she talks to teachers too. She is disrespectful and downgrades them."

Their learning environment needs to change. Students and parents are upset and taking children elsewhere. Teachers are upset and leaving. She has been called racist by some, and many claim that her favoritism towards certain students should not be so obvious. There are many incidents that have happened to show this, and all it would take was a survey. There are currently 23 sixth grade students, and next year there will be less than 16. That is a large loss. Many 7th and 8th grade students will not be either. There is a loss at each grade level from 6th - 11th grade. There are many losses in the elementary school as well. 

The following are letters written by students currently at Midlands STEM. If you need names, just let me know. They were not asked to do this. They came up with the entire idea on their own. 

1. "The reason I will not be coming back to Midlands stem is because of the way the principal would treat her students and the teachers. The way she treats some of the teachers is horrible. She would harass and stalk the class on the cameras. I also feel like there is favoritism amongst the students. there was this one time in the 2020-2021 school year where the principal tried to take a child’s phone and she ended up suspending that person because they wouldn’t give her there phone. she harass people way to much and she needs to be fired. She is the reason most of the kids favorite teacher is not coming back next year. In the 2020-2021 school year I was dress coded for having one tiny rip in my jeans on both sides of my knees. But other kids where aloud to wear ripped jeans and not get dress coded. There where also students who got to wear crocs, ripped jeans, and leggings, etc. they didn’t get dress coded. That is why I feel like there is big favorites. our principal at midlands stem needs to be fired."

2. "I am leaving Midlands Stem because I feel like there was favoritism between students from the principal. Also because a student got suspended for doing something that the teacher told them to do, and they wasn’t bothering anyone with it. Ms. Prince once said that “she quit uniform because she felt the need that students should express themselves by wearing regular clothes”. So if wearing crocs is a way of expressing your style, that should be fine, without getting written up or suspended or dress coded and wearing ripped jeans with leggings underneath them shouldn't be a problem. Again, she picks and chooses who she wants to dress code. Also, Ms. Prince always be showing her cleavage and other teachers wear way too short dresses, but it is ok because it is her and her favorite teachers. Ms. Prince have a hard time being nice to teachers and harasses them through the cameras, and it’s unacceptable because she has to hire new people almost every year and it sad because students create a bond with teachers and expected them to be there the following year, but they can't stay. They tell us that teachers never leave their students. I am only 13 and I find it unacceptable. I would think a grown adult would know better."

3. "I am leaving the school because of a lot of reasons; one reason is because I was bullied at that school, and when you would tell the principal she would not care nor did the guidance counselor. They would tell you to pick yourself up and ignore. It is not something to ignore. Ms. Prince is a mean person and has always not liked us. Personally, I have been told and have seen how much she does not like mixed or white children. She’s a very rude person and I’ve never liked her or anyone else at the school, except my teacher who is leaving."
 
 Students get punished unfairly, and enough is enough.