--- title: How a pastor’s faith inspired him to open a charter school for kids with dyslexia description: Pastor Lawson Clary has two sons with dyslexia. Having kids with learning issues led him to become an advocate and eventually open a charter school. slug: how-a-pastors-faith-inspired-him-to-open-a-charter-school-for-kids-with-dyslexia author: Tara Drinks published: '2019-10-16T12:17:59.187Z' thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/95E8EAB88474426C90A5229AC392BF18/6ffda7812e8727500de63f845fe5c2a7/062917_Person_of_Faith_With_Learning_and_Attention_Issues.JPG source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/how-a-pastors-faith-inspired-him-to-open-a-charter-school-for-kids-with-dyslexia lang: en --- # How a pastor’s faith inspired him to open a charter school for kids with dyslexia Pastor Lawson Clary believes everything happens for a reason. That includes being a father to kids with learning differences. Clary, who’s the executive pastor of 5 Point Church in Easley, South Carolina, has two sons with [dyslexia](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-dyslexia). He and his wife Michelle (pictured here) noticed their older son, Hudson, struggling when he was 4 years old — and his struggles persisted as he began school. “We knew something was up,” Clary says. “He had a lot of [anxiety](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/anxiety-signs-young-children) and was not getting good grades in kindergarten and first grade. It was frustrating to see.” So they had Hudson evaluated. The results showed that he has dyslexia and dysgraphia. A few years later, an evaluation showed that Grayson, their younger son, has dyslexia too. They decided to have their boys switch schools, moving them to a [private school](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/6-things-to-know-about-private-schools-and-special-education) that offered more of the resources they needed. From there, Pastor Clary and Michelle decided to become [advocates](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/parent-advocacy-steps) for other parents. When parents at their church were concerned about their children’s reading, the Clarys talked to them about [next steps](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/does-my-child-have-dyslexia). They shared ideas for [accommodations](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/classroom-accommodations-for-dyslexia) and other [ways to help kids with reading issues like dyslexia](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/dyslexia-strategies-you-can-try-at-home). Through their faith, the Clarys knew they had the strength to bring dyslexia into an even larger conversation. They were also fortunate to know someone who could help get learning differences noticed beyond their church family. Pastor Clary’s father had been elected to the town’s legislature a few months before the boys were diagnosed. He helped push for a law in South Carolina that gave kids with learning challenges priority when applying for charter schools. So Pastor Clary had a thought: Why not open a charter school of their own? He and Michelle, along with a team of advocates, worked together to open a charter school for kids with dyslexia. Lakes and Bridges Charter School will be the first of its kind in South Carolina. It’s scheduled to open in fall 2018. “In the school’s application, there’s an ability to screen and put those with a learning difference at the top of the list,” he says. It’s an opportunity to help more kids with dyslexia get the supports they need in school. The Clarys know their sons’ learning differences cause challenges. But they know their kids have many [strengths](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/types-of-strengths-in-kids), too. And the new charter school could help more kids with dyslexia discover their own strengths. “We learned that it’s not so much that our boys are different. It’s more that they have a different perspective on life,” Pastor Clary says. “[Dyslexia] will [never go away](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/does-dyslexia-go-away),” says Michelle, who leads a children’s program at the church. “It’s something that they will have to always work at, just like in our faith.” --- See a chart that [compares public, private and charter schools](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/public-private-and-charter-schools-how-they-compare). Find out [whether charter schools are required to provide accommodations](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/are-charter-schools-required-to-provide-accommodations-to-kids-with-learning-and-thinking-differences). And read [how a charter school in Brooklyn strives to help kids with dyslexia](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/charter-school-co-founder-with-adhd-and-dyslexia-creates-the-school-he-always-wanted). *Any opinions, views, information and other content contained in blogs on Understood.org are the sole responsibility of the writer of the blog, and do not necessarily reflect the views, values, opinions or beliefs of, and are not endorsed by, Understood.* --- ## Explore related topics and articles - [An inspirational encounter for every child with dyslexia](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/an-inspirational-encounter-for-every-child-with-dyslexia) - Chris, now in seventh grade, and his mom Stephanie recently shared with me their story of difficulty and triumph. It was an inspirational encounter that was a perfect way to start the New Year. Throughout the early grades, Chris did not learn to read. This caused a lot of heartache. Then, an evaluat - [How 6 days of dyslexia training made a big impact on a school district](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/how-6-days-of-dyslexia-training-made-a-big-impact-on-a-school-district) - Illinois teachers Jenna Branch and Mary Rhodes received the It Takes a Village Award from Everyone Reading Illinois in 2015. This nonprofit aims to improve the lives of children and adults with dyslexia. In 2012, the two women sought out extra training to help them understand, identify, and teach ki - [Trouble with reading? Is it dyslexia?](https://www.understood.org/en/podcasts/the-opportunity-gap/how-to-spot-signs-of-dyslexia-in-kids) - Is your child having trouble reading? Hear from an expert on spotting early signs of dyslexia. Learn what can help at school and at home. Is your child having trouble with reading? Could it be dyslexia? Expert Shira Moskowitz shares what parents need to know. 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