A former staff member at Bushnell Elementary School in Sumter County, Florida, is speaking out about what she describes as a troubling gap between how the school presents itself to parents and what actually happens behind closed doors.
SelenaMiree, who worked at the school, took to the local Facebook group “Bushnell Word of the Mouth” to share her experience.
She described witnessing students being yelled at during lunch, written up quickly, and denied recess time for what she considered very minor behavior issues.
She directed her concern specifically at children between the ages of 5 and 10 years old, emphasizing that kids at that age are still learning and growing and deserve more patience from the adults around them.
“I think parents deserve to know that not every child may feel supported in that environment,” she wrote.
The post quickly drew a wave of responses from community members, some who agreed and others who pushed back strongly.
Stephanie Galassi-Negrete echoed the concern and broadened it beyond just one school. She pointed out that public schools seem to focus entirely on test scores while ignoring the social and emotional needs of students.
She noted that being allowed to talk to peers at lunch had actually been used as a reward at her child’s school, something that drew a strong reaction from other parents in the thread.
Robert Elaine Simpson called that practice ridiculous, saying kids should simply be allowed to be kids.
Not everyone agreed with the criticism. Bambi Cutshall, who described herself as someone connected to Bushnell Elementary for 15 years as a mother, aunt, guardian, volunteer, and substitute, said she had seen nothing but kindness and professionalism from the staff she encountered.
She encouraged anyone with real concerns to report them to the proper authorities rather than social media.
Katrina Butler was blunt in her defense of teachers, telling critics to volunteer in classrooms before placing blame on school staff.
The conversation also expanded to other schools in the area. Brandy Nicole said she pulled her child out of Webster Elementary for similar reasons and turned to homeschooling, reporting that her son has thrived since.
An anonymous commenter added that both the principal and assistant principal at Webster would not be returning next school year.
Jamie Lufkin mentioned Lake Panasoffkee Elementary as having a similar environment, and SelenaMiree agreed, saying the harshness seems to be a Sumter County-wide issue rather than isolated to one building.
Summer Lei McDaniel shared that her own child had been mistreated across multiple schools and that the experience carried into middle school.
She said the quality of education felt nothing like what she remembered growing up and added that she had lost confidence in the local school system altogether.
Ruby McCullough brought up bullying as another concern, saying the school does not do enough to protect children from it and that those emotional scars can last a lifetime.
Tracy Burton Uphold encouraged parents to channel their frustration into action by attending school board meetings and speaking directly with administrators rather than venting online.
SelenaMiree responded that several parents had already tried speaking with the principal and said nothing came of it.
