8,963,929 views Nov 30, 2018
The world was moved by the viral videos of students from TM Landry College Prep in Louisiana, a school that promised hope to young people from working-class communities, celebrating their acceptance letters to elite universities like Harvard. Boasting a 100% acceptance rate, the story was sold as a triumph of effort over adversity. However, this explosive report from The New York Times reveals the shocking truth hidden behind those emotional clips: a web of academic fraud, falsified records, and even serious allegations of physical and emotional abuse and intimidation against students, demonstrating how the viral image was used to cover up a devastating reality.
The Viral Fame: TM Landry College Prep school gained notoriety for heartwarming videos showing students (mostly African American from working-class communities) opening acceptance letters from top-tier universities, including the Ivy League.
The Promise of Success: The school claimed to have a 100% college acceptance rate, which attracted national media attention, donations, and tuition fees of up to $725 USD per month.
The Academic Fraud: The NYT investigation revealed that the school’s founders, Michael and Tracey Landry, allegedly falsified academic transcripts to reflect classes students never took and grades they never earned.
Coerced Lies: Students were reportedly instructed by the Landrys to lie about their personal backgrounds on their college applications, fabricating stories of extreme poverty, crime, or drug addiction at home to gain sympathy from admission committees.
Abuse Allegations: Beyond the fraud, the report includes testimonies from former students detailing an environment of physical and emotional abuse, including punishments like being forced to kneel on rice, rocks, or hot cement for hours.
The School’s “Secret”: The investigation uncovered that the TM Landry “method” was not its curriculum (which was insufficient and employed uncertified teachers), but intense focus solely on the ACT exam and the manipulation of application information.
Impact of the NYT Video: Published in November 2018, The New York Times video itself went viral (nearly 9 million views) because it exposed the shocking truth behind one of the biggest “feel-good” stories on YouTube at the time.