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Teacher urges immediate safety equipment and behavior-room for Nina Otero special‑education classroom
Summary
A teacher told the Santa Fe Public Schools board that one classroom at Nina Otero is unsafe for staff and students because of repeated aggressive behavior and missing safety equipment, and asked the district to provide pads/cushions and reopen a behavior room.
A teacher at Nina Otero told the Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education on Sept. 25 that one special‑education classroom is unsafe and needs emergency equipment and program changes to protect staff and students. Lisa Kristofferson said multiple adults are trying to manage eight students with high‑behavior needs and staff have been injured.
“On average, there are about 4 to 6 adults in that classroom with 1 or 2 that are attempting to maintain the learning for 8 of the students,” Kristofferson said during public forum. “We're getting hit, they're getting hurt…a teacher's been hurt, has had ongoing injuries, has been to the hospital several different times.”
Kristofferson said the classroom has not received safety equipment called for in the IUP despite repeated requests. “So what we're asking for…safety equipment has been spelled out in the IUP. And for 2 years they've been asking and have not received the safety equipment.” She described thrown iPads, a heavy stool used as a weapon and students who punch, kick and spit.
Kristofferson urged the board to reopen or fund a district behavior room for students with extreme behavioral needs, saying the district used to operate one for that population. “I believe...that would be beneficial to those students involved, and to help everybody,” she said.
Superintendent Dr. Griffin was present for the meeting but did not announce a formal board decision during the session. Kristofferson named principals, the school social worker and nurses as already assisting in the classroom; she asked the board to provide protective cushioning and to consider a centrally funded behavior room to reduce injury and turnover among special‑education staff.
Why it matters: staff injury and unmet specialized‑program needs can affect continuity of services for students placed in special education. Kristofferson warned that lack of mitigation equipment and placement options makes it harder to retain special‑education teachers.
Next steps: Kristofferson asked the board to provide safety equipment and to consider reopening a district behavior room; the transcript does not show a formal vote or staff direction at the meeting.
Less critical details: Kristofferson said a yoga mat was provided but is inadequate; she described multiple adults in the room and examples of dangerous incidents. The classroom size, the supplier/price of the requested equipment, and any existing district timeline for procurement were not specified in the meeting.
