At the end of 2022, we withdrew our daughter from Seabury Hall because she was being bullied, and the school failed to address our concerns. This was highly disruptive to all of our family, and our daughter was out of school for two months before reintegrating into another private school.

As we reflect on the difficult decision to withdraw our daughter from Seabury Hall, it’s crucial to articulate the depth of our concerns and the reasons behind our actions. Our decision was not made lightly but stemmed from a growing realization that our daughter’s safety, both emotional and physical, was at risk due to the actions of another student. This student’s behavior, which included both physical harm and emotional torment, escalated to a point where we could no longer trust in the school’s ability to provide a safe environment for our daughter. The bullying girl mentioned words such as “kill” (which were documented by the school) and physically bullied our daughter (for example, pushing her so she would fall).

The most pressing issue for us is the comments made by Mrs. Hensley on our daughter’s report card, which we believe do not fully reflect the challenges our daughter faced. Despite acknowledging her academic strengths, Mrs. Hensley’s remarks about our daughter needing to improve her social interactions and classroom participation overlooked the significant impact of bullying on her ability to engage with peers and participate fully in class activities. The exact words Mrs. Hensley used were

This discrepancy between Mrs. Hensley’s verbal assurances during parent-teacher conferences and her written comments has left us confused and concerned.

Throughout our communications with the school, we’ve consistently raised our concerns about the bullying our daughter experienced, only to feel that these issues were not addressed with the seriousness they deserved. The initial assurances of a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying gave us hope, but our experiences did not reflect this stance. Our daughter’s social isolation and reluctance to engage in new friendships were direct consequences of the unchecked bullying, significantly affecting her school experience.

A particularly distressing incident involved our daughter reporting physical harm from the other student, to which the response was dismissively handled, further undermining our trust in the school’s commitment to student safety. This incident was not isolated but part of a pattern of behavior that was not adequately addressed.

To no avail, we tried contacting and discussing solutions with the schools, including Mr. Proctor (Director of Academic & Student Affairs). We’ve come to the painful realization that the school has chosen to turn a blind eye, pretending the bullying and challenges our daughter faced simply did not happen. Of course, we also lost more than half a year’s worth of tuition at Seabury, since the school refused to refund us. This lack of acknowledgment and action has deeply affected our trust in the institution’s commitment to student welfare. By sharing our story, we feel compelled to warn other parents about our experience, hoping to shed light on the importance of vigilance and advocacy for their children’s safety and well-being in school environments. Parents must be aware that, despite assurances, the reality can be markedly different, and our children’s experiences can be dismissed or overlooked by those in positions of responsibility. We wish no family to endure the disillusionment and distress that comes from seeing a beloved child suffer in an environment where they should feel safe, supported, and understood.