![]() Mauldin was one of 10 North East Park parents interviewed by the Tampa Bay Times, all of them describing a similar situation.Ĭrystal Bleecher’s family recently bought a house near the preschool so they could walk their children there every morning. The response, she said, was “noes, waitlists or laughter.” Mauldin, who compared the mad dash for day care spots to a “Hunger Games” competition, said she called 15 centers the following Monday. She and other parents noted that registration for Voluntary Prekindergarten, a free program for 4- and 5-year-olds, closed months ago, and many other day care centers in the area were already full. “We’ve got a very loving approach to staff.” In an interview, Grubbs denied that lifestyle choices were a rationale for the school’s closure - “It’s a side story that they’re creating,” he said. NE, describes itself as “a Christ centered, scripture focused, Southern Baptist church.” On its website, Legacy, located at 3737 First St. ![]() The letter did not elaborate, but parents and teachers have cited previous conversations with Grubbs in which he expressed disdain for staff members who had tattoos, were going through a divorce, and had children out of wedlock. ![]() To congregants of the church, however, he led with a different reason: the “lifestyle choices” of some staff members, which he described as “unbecoming of Christian preschool teachers.” They “do not represent our commitment to a Biblical worldview,” he wrote in a letter obtained by the Tampa Bay Times. To school employees on June 25, he cited “numerous budget and staff concerns” as the main impetus, adding that “much prayer and thought has gone into this decision.”Īn email to families made a similar point, referring to “massive increases in costs” at the school, but adding another factor: It was “hard to replace teachers and staff when they vacate a position,” Grubbs wrote. ![]() In separate letters and emails, Grubbs’ explanations for the decision have varied. ![]()
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