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Parents Tell Hazlet Board They Fear for Safety, Raise Repeated Special-education Turnover
Summary
Multiple parents told the Hazlet Township Public School District board that repeated teacher turnover and recent safety incidents in autism classrooms have left children and families anxious, and they asked the board to investigate staffing, paraprofessional coverage and administrative oversight.
Parents pressed the Hazlet Township Public School District board on classroom safety and chronic turnover in special-education programs during public comment at the board's December meeting. Monica Campisi and Jacqueline Garcia described multiple resignations in an autism classroom, incidents in which a child left school grounds and two police responses within a month, and a lack of stable, appropriately certified paraprofessionals.
The parents framed the problem as both staffing and supervision: Monica Campisi said the classroom has had "the fifth teacher in 2 and a half years" and that "our children are not safe," adding that some paraprofessionals appear not to be assigned or available and that she has seen hand marks on her child she worries about. Jacqueline Garcia said her daughter Lily "would just wander off if someone didn't have their eyes on her" and urged the board to investigate why classrooms intended for six students have been expanded to seven under a county waiver.
Marissa Bruno Martin, another parent who identified her address to the board, said she remained concerned about the district's use of contracted aides (vendors such as Therapists Travelers LLC and Bayada were named on the board list) and asked why contracted aides continue to be approved when district staff might be an alternative. She also requested an update on paraprofessional training the district said would be provided after an earlier meeting.
Parents made specific requests for immediate steps to improve safety and stability: more clarity on paraprofessional assignments and certifications, additional training for aides, consideration of cameras in two autism classrooms for security purposes, and hiring for vacancies as long-term, not interim, solutions. They said the pace of turnover is causing behavioral crises and distress for families.
The board acknowledged the concerns and said it would follow up. An unnamed board member said the remarks were "concerning" and the board stated it would "be in touch" with parents to address the issues raised. The transcript does not record specific corrective actions approved at the meeting, nor does it record a timetable or named staff member assigned to investigate; those details were not specified.
The parents also named an administrator, referenced in public comment as "Mister Anderson," alleging he had misled staff and families; the board did not provide a public response to those allegations during the meeting. The parents requested a formal investigation and asked the district to report back with staffing and safety remedies at a future meeting.
