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Central Falls parent urges district review after special-education student injured at school
Summary
A Central Falls parent told the Board of Trustees that her adult son, enrolled in the district's special-education program, suffered a fingertip injury at school and that she found staff response and communications inadequate; the district did not issue a policy decision at the meeting.
A Central Falls parent told the School Board of Trustees on March 25 that her adult son, who attends the district’s special-education/transitional warrior program, suffered a fingertip injury at school and that she was not satisfied with the school’s communications and on-site response.
The parent, identified in the meeting as Janice Ramirez during public comment, said she received multiple missed calls before answering a call that indicated paramedics were present and her son would be taken to the hospital. Ramirez said she could not identify which hospital staff had taken him and that, when she arrived about an hour later, her son’s fingertip had been treated. She described her son as nonverbal and said the incident left the family shaken and without timely answers about care.
Ramirez asked the board why staff delayed transporting the student or notifying family and described her interactions with the assistant principal and program staff as dismissive. “The assistant principal’s response was, ‘oh, that was nothing,’” Ramirez said at the meeting. She also said staff described the injury as a fingertip caught in a machine and that the student has a documented 1:1 aide.
The parent said the incident affected the student’s sleep for days and that she lost work time caring for him. Ramirez said she has requested written responses by email and asked the district for assurances about future communications. She told trustees she would pursue other steps if she did not receive a response.
Board members acknowledged Ramirez’s remarks and a trustee said staff would follow up; no formal decision, disciplinary action, or change to district policy was announced during the meeting. Ramirez’s remarks were made during the public comment portion of the agenda; the board did not vote on any motion related to the incident at the meeting.
The meeting transcript does not include a written district incident report, a staff timeline, nor a district statement with next steps, so the article does not assert whether the district has opened an investigation or what remedial measures—if any—will be taken. Ramirez repeatedly requested a formal reply and documentation during her remarks.
The board meeting continued with other agenda items after the public comment period; trustees said staff would set up a follow-up meeting to address Ramirez’s concerns.
Clarifying details from the public comment: Ramirez identified her son as an adult student in the district’s transitional warrior/special education program, described him as nonverbal and having a 1:1 aide, and said the injury was to a fingertip and required hospital attention. The parent said she arrived roughly an hour after initial contact from the school and that she had not yet received the email response she requested.
The board did not provide a timeline or written statement about next steps at the meeting. Ramirez asked for written acknowledgement and said she may pursue other avenues if the district does not respond.
