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Parents and students protest reassignment of Los Altos therapeutic special-education teacher
Summary
Families and students told the board that moving Dr. Persephone Hintlian off Los Altos High with little notice would harm vulnerable students' progress; parents asked the board to reconsider and called for a transition plan.
Multiple students, parents and colleagues addressed the board May 19 to oppose a district staffing decision that will place Dr. Persephone Hintlian at Mountain View High next school year.
Speakers described Dr. Hintlian as a cornerstone of Los Altos High's therapeutically enhanced special education program and said the reassignment was announced to families with little time to plan. "They've been the difference between my child surviving Los Altos High School and thriving," parent Ron Nagy said in public comment, describing his child's progress under Dr. Hintlian. Several students spoke about personal gains in safety, resilience and academic progress tied to Dr. Hintlian's teaching and case management.
Parent Pam Omura said she received notice only two days earlier and called Dr. Hintlian "a PhD-level teacher whose expertise is unmatched by any other special ed teacher on campus," saying the reassignment has caused "an immense amount of anxiety" for students who consider Dr. Hintlian their primary advocate on campus. A student, Ella Murrah, said Dr. Hintlian created a classroom where vulnerability was treated as a strength and urged the board to reconsider assigning the teacher off-site.
District staff did not announce a board action reversing the reassignment at the May 19 meeting. Trustee discussion recognized the emotional stakes for vulnerable students; several trustees asked staff to consider transition planning and the classroom caseload implications for next year. Trustee comments and public speakers repeatedly emphasized the need for a meaningful, carefully timed transition so students currently on Dr. Hintlian's caseload are not left without their primary supports at a critical point in the school year.
The board did not take a separate, formal vote on the reassignment during the meeting. Families asked for reconsideration and for the district to provide a clear transition plan, case-load adjustments, and faster communication when staffing changes affect highly vulnerable students.
