Bombeck Family Learning Center

My daughter previously attended the Bombeck Center and was in a classroom led by Liz Abbott and Penny Leming. On one occasion, Penny was absent, and Liz was alone in the classroom. When I dropped off my daughter, I mentioned to Liz that my husband and I preferred that discussions about our daughter's skin color not be brought up. The night before, my daughter had shared that Liz told her she was "like the brown crayon" during class. I was taken aback by this, as we had not made our daughter’s skin color an issue, particularly in a diverse school setting. I did not understand why Liz felt it necessary to highlight this aspect of my daughter's identity in class, especially as young children typically see each other as playmates rather than through the lens of skin color. When I brought this up to Liz and asked how it related to the lesson, she became visibly upset and responded unprofessionally. She emphasized her experience and credentials, stating that she didn’t need input on how to manage her classroom. She also claimed to be the best teacher Bombeck has ever had and made dismissive comments implying that someone like me wouldn’t understand her expertise, despite the fact that I hold a Master’s in Nursing. Following this interaction, I escalated my concerns to the Director, Michelle Donley. Initially, my daughter's account of the incident was questioned. After requesting my daughter’s removal from Liz’s classroom, she was reassigned to a different class where educators like Whitney Gardner and Jen Dane fostered a positive environment and valued my daughter's individuality without making her feel inferior. Given Bombeck’s mission to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment, I am deeply surprised that Liz remains with the school. Her behavior during my experience, including a lack of cultural sensitivity and professionalism, failed to uphold the center’s promise to promote equality and respect.

I was a student here in the early 2000s & from the little memories I have of this place they are fantastic ones!