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Parents, students and advocates tell Coatesville Area SD board they face bullying, denied IEP accommodations and alleged FERPA violations
Summary
Several parents, a student and a longtime community advocate used the public-comment period to describe ongoing bullying, alleged failures to provide IEP accommodations, FERPA violations and retaliation. Speakers asked the board for accountability, clearer communication and a stronger anti-bullying approach.
Multiple speakers used the public-comment period to urge the Coatesville Area School District board to address what they described as ongoing bullying and failures in special-education processes.
Crystal Hunt, who identified herself as a parent, said her child had been out of school for a week because of safety concerns and that the district had not yet convened the IEP meeting she requested. "My child should not be missing school over safety within the school," Hunt said. She told the board she believed the district had "failed to provide reasonable accommodations" and alleged students had been bullied and harassed for two years.
Betty Cooper, a parent who said she has four children in the district, described her 13-year-old daughter being attacked and urged the district to adopt a stricter bullying policy. "The bullying and harassment among our students is crazy," Cooper said, and she noted incidents that she said had been captured in viral videos.
A student speaker described being attacked shortly after entering class and said the experience led to days of missed school: "As soon as I went to class, she attacked me. And that's when I started ... I told my mom I didn't wanna come to school anymore because I started, like, shaking."
Advocate Laurie Shannon Bailey said many families feared retaliation and did not know their rights. "IEPs are made to work for students and to support them and to protect them," Bailey said, urging transparency and accountability. She said parents often do not know what a safety plan is and called on the board to ensure families understand IEP protections.
Speakers asked the board to hold staff and students accountable where appropriate, improve internal communication to parents, promptly convene required IEP meetings and investigate alleged FERPA violations and retaliation. Board members did not announce specific remedies during the meeting; the superintendent and staff were asked to follow up with stakeholders.
The public-comment sequence ran from roughly 00:46:11 to 00:55:18 in the meeting record and included multiple requests that the board consider revisions to district procedures connected to student safety, IEP implementation and anti-bullying enforcement.
