T.M. Landry College Preparatory (also known simply as T.M. Landry) is an unaccredited, co-educational private college-preparatory school in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana for grades K-12. The school made headlines in 2018 as the subject of an investigative report by the New York Times, detailing allegations of abuse and falsified transcripts and college applications.
History
T.M. Landry was originally established as a homeschool for five children in 2005. The founders of the school are Michael Landry, a former salesman and a certified teacher since 2002, and his wife Tracey Landry, who worked as a nurse prior to establishing the school and currently serves as the school's Principal. The school is now an unaccredited private school for grades K-12. T.M. Landry moved into a former factory building in 2017. According to the school website, 142 students are enrolled in the school in 2018, and the average class size is 6 students in primary school and 12 students in middle and high school.
Media
T.M. Landry has been the subject of many national news features. Local television news outlets in Breaux Bridge and Louisiana have profiled the school. The school became the focus of national media attention in December 2016 after one high school senior was accepted into Cornell University. T.M. Landry students have been accepted into other prestigious schools, including: Harvard University, Boston University, and New York University. In October 2018, NBC's show Today reported that T.M. Landry boasts a 100% college acceptance rate.
In November 2018, the New York Times published an investigative report that accused T.M. Landry of doctoring transcripts and college applications that in turn, would get a student accepted into Ivy League schools. These tactics worked, and videos of students viewing acceptance letters went viral. The Times article alleged student abuse by the founder and principal, Michael Landry, who reportedly would choke students and force them to kneel before him for hours. According to 2013 court documents obtained by the reporters, Michael Landry pleaded guilty to a count of simple battery and was sentenced to probation and a court-ordered anger management program. Students allege that Mr. Landry told them that he would ruin their chances of acceptance to college if they spoke of the abuse. In an interview with the New York Times, Michael Landry denied the allegations of abuse.
Allegations of abuse and transcript falsifications
In a New York Times article published in November 2018, authors Erica L. Green and Katie Benner reported evidence that the school falsified transcripts, academic achievements, and community service on its students' applications to Ivy League schools. The article detailed accusations that the Landrys ran their school through fear and physical and emotional abuse. Numerous students and teachers support these allegations. Some of them reported that "students were forced to kneel on rice, rocks and hot pavement, and were choked, yelled at and berated." In December 2018, Louisiana State Police began an investigation into the abuse allegations.