Parents allege staff restraint of student with disability; board hears calls for transparency

A parent and several community members told the Schenectady City School District board on Jan. 14 that a staff member placed a foot on the back of a 9-year-old student with a documented disability, calling the act ‘‘abuse’’ and demanding immediate accountability and clearer district notification policies.

"I was not called. I was not notified, and I was not given an explanation," parent Ashley Rivera said as she detailed how she first learned of the incident from a paraprofessional who had taken a photograph. "What is even more disturbing is what you see in the background of that picture. Other children do not appear to be shocked. Has this happened before? Is it normalized?" Rivera said.

Other public speakers echoed Rivera. "Placing a foot on a child's back is not discipline. It is use of force," Jasmine Garcia said, noting the student has documented ADHD and criticizing what she described as an absence of timely principal action and notification. Britney Shaw told the board the incident reflected a failure of the system to protect children. Ellie Pecker, a community advocate, cited New York regulations prohibiting corporal punishment and referenced federal protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and said the family had reportedly filed a lawsuit.

Superintendent (unnamed) told the board he "does not condone this behavior" and described steps the district has already taken and plans to take to improve communication and protocols. "Communication with families when incidents occur has always been a fundamental responsibility of school leadership," he said, and promised "timely family communication" and stronger expectations for immediate notification to his office.

Board members expressed sympathy and said they would take the reports seriously. Several trustees thanked the speakers for coming forward and asked district leaders to provide additional facts and policy context. The board president noted privacy and personnel rules limit what can be discussed publicly, and the meeting later moved into executive session to address personnel matters.

What happened in the photo is now the subject of internal review and, according to public testimony, a legal claim by the family. Community speakers pressed the board to change any policy that allows parents to be kept in the dark after incidents involving students, and to ensure training and clear guidance for staff who support students with disabilities.

The board scheduled a Jan. 28 presentation on school climate data and discipline trends to address outstanding questions related to communication and discipline practices. The board and district leaders said any formal personnel action would be announced publicly as required by law.