(PresidentialHill.com)- Craig and Kelly Robinson were stunned to learn their children, 11 and 9, would not be able to return to the elite University School of Milwaukee (USM).
“We cannot continue a relationship with your family,” stated the end-of-year enrollment cancellation letter dated June 2021 and sent by the head of school, Steven Hancock.
Craig Robinson, the former First Lady Michelle Obama’s brother, said they feel retaliated against because we brought up some delicate subjects.
Robinson said it started with providing the school criticism on teaching techniques that bothered him and his wife.
Robinson claimed that racial and ethnic stereotypes were frequently used in classroom tasks.
He and his wife, Kelly Robinson, told CNN that it was more about how the school handled their complaints.
Kelly Robinson said the issue isn’t how they handled it but rather that they retaliated against our children.
The Robinsons now demand a jury trial and damages.
The school’s June 2021 letter to the Robinsons claimed the decision came down to how the couple interacted with instructors and officials.
The letter indicated that the Robinsons exhibited disrespect for the faculty and administrators and their knowledge and professionalism. They regularly spoke disrespectfully and demandingly.
They assured the Robinsons that USM’s enrollment decisions had nothing to do with accusations of injustice or discrimination.
They said their dedicated teachers and administrators would not be tolerated being disrespected, bullied, or harassed.
Soon after, Hancock sent a second statement to the University School of Milwaukee community.
Hancock stated that USM is fully prepared to defend itself against the claims made in the family’s complaint robustly. Non-renewal of a school family’s enrollment is the last resort, but it was necessary in this case — not because of any conduct by the children but by the parents.
The Robinsons refuted the allegation.
Craig Robinson claimed it was astonishing about the letter and that they were presenting ideas in a conversational tone.
“We were surprised,” Kelly Robinson said. “Nothing about what we were doing or communicating was uncommon.”
The enrollment cancelation letter did not refer to the kids’ conduct. They were described as the “picture of a graduate” by USM.
“Our kids have truly suffered,” Kelly Robinson told CNN, crying. “They’ve heard others say they must have done something terrible, which is completely false.”
The Robinsons claimed they filed a lawsuit because they heard from others who had similar situations.
Unfair and retaliatory conduct toward the Robinsons’ children is alleged in one aspect of the claim and a “broader pattern of unfair treatment and insensitivity by USM toward its students of color and underrepresented students.”
Robinson said it started when they criticized the school on teaching techniques, particularly during last year’s virtual learning session.
Racial and ethnic stereotypes were frequently used in classroom tasks, Robinson claimed.
Kelly Robinson said the issue isn’t how they handled it but rather that they retaliated against our children.
