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Parent alleges district mishandled assault and special‑education needs; requests outside review
Summary
A parent told the Pittsford Central School District board during public comment May 13 that their child was choked by another student and that district administrators did not substantiate the complaint despite a witness; the parent requested an outside evaluation and improved mental‑health training for staff.
During public comment at the May 13 PITTSFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Board of Education meeting, a parent identified in the transcript as Mr. Passalockwa told the board his daughter was physically assaulted at school and that district officials did not substantiate the complaint.
“My daughter was choked by another student in the same school,” Mr. Passalockwa said. He said the vice principal emailed that “the reported incident was not captured on video,” and that despite a witness who gave a statement consistent with his daughter’s account the school “was unable to substantiate a complaint.”
He told the board he asked the principal why a credible witness was not enough to substantiate the incident and said the principal “refused to answer me,” adding that his daughter was “extremely emotional, crying.” He said administrators told him the incident was not on camera and that led to a conclusion of unsubstantiated after interviews.
The parent also described earlier disputes with the district over classroom placement and support for his daughter’s anxiety, saying the district initially declined a smaller classroom placement and later recommended outside placement; he said the family prevailed after an impartial review by the Committee on Special Education. He also alleged district personnel had minimized or misrepresented facts at a later Committee on Special Education meeting regarding course offerings for students who struggle with algebra.
Mr. Passalockwa asked the board for an outside evaluation of the alleged assault by someone other than Pittsford administration and requested improved mental‑health training for teachers. The board did not take any formal action on those requests during the meeting; the presiding officer interrupted the speaker to note the three‑minute public‑comment limit and the meeting moved on to adjournment business.
Why it matters: the parent raised both a specific safety allegation and broader concerns about the district’s handling of students with mental‑health needs and special‑education placements. The transcript records the complaint and the family’s request for an external review; no district response or steps were recorded in the public meeting minutes that night.
