Famed Louisiana private school T.M. Landry College Preparatory is under investigation after allegations its founders lied about students' performance to get them into Ivy League schools were reported. In the course of that investigation, new claims of physical and mental abuse at the school have surfaced, as well.

The cheating scandal was first reported by The New York Times, which outlined the abuse allegations against the school's founders, Michael and Tracey Landry, in a new story.

The school became renowned thanks to viral videos showing students' acceptances to exclusive colleges and universities. The Times' reporting suggests the Landrys inflated their students' grades and concocted tearjerker backstories for them to gain spots at the top-tier schools.

When confronted about the inaccuracies in their students' records, the Landrys vehemently rebuffed claims they gamed the system, writes NBC News. They also denied abusing their students.

Many of the children and their parents tell a different story, however.

One student claims Michael Landry choked him, dragged him across the floor and hit him. Another said Landry put his foot on his head. The mother of a child with developmental disabilities said Landry put her son in a closet; she added the 6-year-old came home saying, “I belong in the trash,” and claimed Landry would place the boy in a garbage can.

The Advocate reports since December 3, new allegations have been coming quickly; at least 10 new complaints have been filed against the Landrys in the past 10 days.

Allegations such as these are not new. A 2012 police report involved a 13-year-old boy who told his parents Landry whipped him, choked him, picked him up by the neck and eventually forced him to eat rat feces.

Parents want to know why more wasn't done to investigate these claims.

Mary Mitchell, the mother of a student who claimed Landry was abusing him in 2017, said, “I feel like the local police departments failed us. What message are we sending if we tell them to speak up if someone is hurting you, and then say, ‘You should’ve said it sooner,’ or ‘Not enough people saw it?'”

Students The Times spoke to said the Landrys convinced them not to corroborate the stories of students who went to the police; many said they feared not only retribution but that speaking out would put the promising futures the Landrys had delivered to other children in jeopardy.

Local police argue the Landrys were difficult to investigate because the school kept moving. New school locations meant new police jurisdictions; officials said they aren't allowed to conduct investigations outside of their jurisdiction. They also point to the fact Landry pleaded guilty to abuse in 2012 and served a year's probation.

The issue of jurisdiction will not be a problem in the new investigation; this time, the police work is being handled by state police who promise to get to the bottom of all allegations. The state force refused to comment on the work beyond that, however, telling The Times, “The investigation is active and ongoing with no further information available at this time.”

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Tracey Landry

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