Parents of about 50 kids who went to a daycare near the Crieve Hall neighborhood have been scrambling after a sudden email left them without childcare.
A notification went out late Friday night from Southminster Presbyterian Church informing parents the long time daycare there was shutting down effective immediately. Here’s a copy of the email parents received:
“It is with profound sadness to tell you that, due to the necessity to terminate two of our full-time employees, we no longer have the ability to staff our center and must close. This closure is effective immediately.”
Parents, shocked by the news, held an emergency meeting at Chris Lockard's home in Crieve Hall. About 20 people, including two teachers, showed up to share their concern for their children’s needs. The two teachers said they found out they were unemployed on a Facebook page moderated by daycare staff.
"That's a huge thing for everybody. There's a chance people could lose their jobs, lose pay," said Lockard. "A daycare shutting down after 35 years in a neighborhood like Crieve Hall is detrimental to this area."
These parents received last minute notice. Childcare at Southminster Presbyterian Church suddenly cancelled. Now - they want answers. @NC5 pic.twitter.com/Wymr3YysNs
— Kyle Horan (@KyleHoranNC5) May 6, 2017
Parents have now been considering day-sharing options and trying to get their kids into other daycares. However, Lockard said there aren’t enough daycares in Nashville. Many parents said they put their kids on wait lists for months, even up to a year, to get them into care.
"To have the rug pulled out from under you like that is a pretty severe decision, and it took everybody by surprise," said Lockard.
Parents did invite the directors of the daycare to the meeting. The assistant director did show up later. She apologized and told the parents what happened.
According to the parents, an ex-boyfriend of one of the teachers at the daycare showed up and started pounding on the door of the church, threatening the teacher inside. Police records show a 911 call on Thursday sent officers to the daycare for a domestic disturbance. No other police report was available as of the time of this story.
After confronting two of the teachers about the incident, they were both fired. Parents said daycare staff held a meeting and shut down.
However, parents said it didn’t have to happen like that.
"They should've reached out to us," said Lockard. "I think it was handled pretty poorly."
Parents were able to come to an agreement with the daycare representative. They’re holding a meeting on Sunday to brainstorm options to save the daycare.
A gofundme account was set up to raise money to hire new teachers. To donate, click here.
