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Public commenter alleges staff shared images of disabled students; calls for investigation
Summary
A community member told the board he had seen staff text threads that used images of students with disabilities for mockery and called for an investigation and FERPA complaints. He said parents fear retaliation and urged a district probe of integrated services at Fort Collins High School.
During the public‑comment portion of the May 27 Poudre School District Board meeting, a community member alleged that a group of district staff had circulated images of disabled students in text threads and used the images for “demeaning” entertainment. The commenter asked the board to investigate and to help families who are afraid to come forward.
Danny Lawrence told the board he had seen a text thread of roughly 13 PSD staff members that included photos and memes depicting students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in distress. He said some images were of students still receiving services and that at least one pictured student had not been enrolled in the district for more than six months. Lawrence told the board parents were afraid to raise complaints with administration and said he would assist families in filing FERPA complaints and Colorado Open Records Act requests.
“Parents have this information and are too scared to go to school administration or to all of you for help,” Lawrence told the board. He said the conduct raised potential violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Colorado Student Data and Transparency Act and district staff‑behavior policies.
What the commenter requested Lawrence asked the board to open an investigation into the integrated services program at Fort Collins High School, to help protect families who fear retaliation, and to provide transparency about the district’s response. He said he will offer to assist families in filing FERPA complaints and records requests over the summer.
Board and staff response The board did not provide a verbal response during public comment, consistent with the district’s stated practice that public‑comment remarks are not ordinarily debated at the meeting. No formal motion or action to open an investigation was recorded on the May 27 meeting minutes; staff did not present any follow-up at the same meeting. Commenters said they had provided evidence by email to the district.
Ending The allegation raises legal and personnel questions that the district’s administration must address through the district’s investigative, privacy and personnel policies. The board’s formal actions that evening did not include an investigation directive; community members said they expect district staff to follow up with parents and, if warranted, with formal investigations and potential FERPA enforcement.
