Dracut mother tells school committee she will seek legal remedies over alleged IEP noncompliance and safety concerns

Suzanne Merrill, a Dracut resident and parent, addressed the school committee during the public comment period to say the district is not following her son's Individualized Education Program and that repeated requests for documentation and action have been ignored.

"I have followed every rule, every timeline, and every process laid out by the district, the state, and federal law," Suzanne Merrill said. "Yet my son's rights continue to be violated. His IEP is not followed. The district says one thing and does another in practice." She said she has previously taken the district to court in 2022 and that professionals have recommended an out-of-district placement that the district refuses to consider.

Merrill told the committee her son has been assaulted in a school bathroom and that the district has not protected him or provided the supports she says professionals recommended. She described repeated delay and denial: "This is not just about placement. This is about consistent documented patterns of denial, delays, and noncompliance," she said.

No committee action was taken while Merrill spoke; her remarks were recorded as part of the public-comment record. Merrill said she will continue to pursue legal options if the district does not approve the placement she and outside professionals recommend.

The committee did not respond with a formal vote or directive on the record during the meeting; committee members and staff will have an opportunity to follow up through district special-education procedures outside the public meeting.