"You know, on average teachers are in the bottom quartile of their college graduating classes."
This statement, which was said out loud to a full room by one of the top leaders at KIPP Indy as a reason why teachers don't deserve professionally competitive pay, is a good illustration of the attitude KIPP leadership (particularly the men) have towards teachers.
A lot of KIPP leadership is a collection of white married couples who are all friends outside of work, and this has created an insular bubble in which "they" are KIPP and everyone else is a tool to fulfill KIPP's mission.
I've been in so many rooms in which leadership has spoken about staff disrespectfully, with no empathy for their struggles or their challenges. I'll quote another more recent one I heard (said about a staff member experiencing a personal tragedy): "Look, if you're gonna be a mess, it's time to go."
In my many years at KIPP, I never saw a going-away party, it was impossible to have a family while working there until leadership started having families (and then suddenly HR policies changed), and the voices of Black women are constantly seen as "crazy," "emotional," and "burdensome."
I left on good terms. Only one member of leadership, folks who I have worked with for years, offered me kind words. It's a great example of the kinds of relationships there: we're a "team and family" until you are not useful to them anymore.
If anyone asked me what I thought about KIPP, I would still have many great things to say. If someone asked if they should work there or send their children there, I would say no.
