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Parents, advocates tell Seminole school board court found district violated IDEA; allege retaliation
Summary
Several public commenters said a judge found the district violated the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and said families have faced retaliation and service denials; board took no immediate action at the meeting.
Multiple speakers urged the Seminole County school board to address alleged violations of special education law and what they described as retaliation against families.
David White, a parent and public commenter, told the board that after a due-process complaint a judge found the district had violated the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and ordered the district to provide one-on-one nursing within 30 days. "Why does it take a court order for this district to follow the law?" White asked. He said his family has experienced scheduling and transportation changes and that medication procedures had been shifted to unlicensed front-desk staff.
"The judge gave you 30 days to comply with the judge's order," White said. "No more excuses, no more retaliation. It needs to change." He said the family is now being required to have other children ride different buses, to meet a different bus earlier and farther from home, and that school visits and lunch with students have been restricted.
Nina Sandberg, another commenter, urged the board to halt agenda items she said removed IEP input related to testing and to "stop automatically approving agenda items concerning special needs children without thoroughly reviewing them and seeking input from those who it affects." She said, "SCPS has a very negative history of not providing IEP students with the accommodations, support, and resources that they need even when they are legally required to." Sandberg asked the board to not approve the agenda item she referenced that night.
Raquel Molina also addressed the board, saying the court's finding confirmed the district had violated special-education protections and that parents have been retaliated against for advocating. She said, "You all should be fired and criminalized for failing our special education students and for retaliating against parents, employees, and students. Shame on you. Hypocrites." Molina also praised some teachers and community advocates in the room.
Board members did not make an immediate decision in response to the comments. The superintendent had recommended the consent agenda be approved as presented later in the meeting; the consent agenda passed on a voice vote after public comment. Attorney Cole Palmer later requested an executive session on pending litigation, which will be scheduled for Feb. 4 and will include board members, the superintendent, counsel and a court reporter.
The public comments raised allegations about IDEA compliance, Individualized Education Program (IEP) implementation, medication-handling practices, transportation arrangements and retaliation. Board members and staff did not dispute the speakers' assertions on the public record during the meeting; no formal board action to investigate or change policy was announced during the session.
