Barron Trump's new school Oxbridge Academy rocked by sexual harassment claims in 2015
Ex-President Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron, is all set to attend a new private school in West Palm Beach, Florida, which has a past embroiled in sexual harassment allegations and has been described as an "asylum."
Barron, 15, has enrolled in Oxbridge Academy, which was founded by William I Koch, a member of the Koch family, and will be graduating with the class of 2024. According to The Washington Post, Barron will start his sophomore year at the Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach on August 23. He earlier attended St Andrew's Episcopal School, a private academy in Potomac, Maryland during his father's tenure at the Oval Office. The tuition for the 2021-22 academic year is $34,800, plus a $2,000 yearly fee. Former POTUS' son and other new students must pay a one-time enrollment fee of $1,250.
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Oxbridge academy dubbed 'hostile'
The hefty fee that the school is demanding, is not indicative of a scandal-free history. In fact, it was rocked by sexual harassment claims just a few years ago. According to the Palm Beach Post, back in August 2015, bookstore manager Ulle Boshko filed a claim “alleging sexual harassment, a hostile working environment, and retaliation." Her allegations were directed at the CEO at the time, Robert Parsons. The claim was dismissed as “not supported” in October of that year by a law firm hired by Koch to handle the investigation. It was the same law firm that also managed another investigation in 2016 into “firings, high turnover,” and “accusations of sexual harassment" brought up against the school.
However, this was not the end. In 2017, Boshko filed a suit against the school where she alleged that she was sacked from her position because of her claims of sexual harassment against Parsons. It is not immediately clear what the outcome was of the lawsuit. According to a report by the New York Times, Koch fired the head of school and declined to renew the contracts of the athletic director and the football coach after the second investigation revealed “accusations of kickbacks, grade-changing, excessive spending and violations of the rules governing high school sports.”
In an interview, Koch claimed about his own school that a “power elites group” in the institute ran it like “the asylum.” Koch said at the time, “We are finding alarming things of how money was misspent. If people think they’ve got a honey pot, there’s going to be a lot of bears around it, trying to get it.”
Barron Trump to have Secret Service protection
Oxbridge Academy is a newcomer to the world of prep schools, The List reports. According to its website, the school opened in 2011 and educates students in grades 7 through 12. The modest 500-student school, which is situated on a 54-acre campus, aims to educate "young adults into learners, thinkers, and problem solvers" who are "prepared to meet the world boldly with initiative and kindness." The school has a diverse student body, with one-third of the students identifying as people of color. In sports including basketball, swimming, track, and golf, the ThunderWolves have won a number of regional and state titles.
Barron will be needed to study a regular course load of English, math, science, and social studies at Oxbridge, with a language requirement of Spanish, French, Chinese, or American Sign Language, The List reported. All children at the school must have an Apple laptop. "We look forward to welcoming him into our school and community," the school's Director of Advancement Scott Siegfried said of Barron, according to People.
Barron has a variety of programs to choose from to stay busy after school hours, ranging from the intellectual (National Honor Society, Model United Nations) to the enjoyable (Ukulele and Guitar Club, Rock Paper Scissors League). According to The Washington Post, Barron Trump will be accompanied to school by a small squad of Secret Service agents. The school told students' parents, through an email, about Barron Trump attending Oxbridge Academy and cautioned them about the presence of secret service aganets on the 54-acre campus. "They want to have little impact on our day-to-day operations,” the school said of the secret service. “They've done this for other former presidents' kids. They're fantastic."