Parents urge Keystone Oaks board to address special-education safety and communication failures

Multiple parents at the Keystone Oaks School District meeting on Monday evening pressed the board and administration to address what they described as recurring safety, staffing and communication failures in the district’s special-education program.

Haley Justice, who identified herself as the parent of a special-needs first grader at Merle Elementary, said her family removed their daughter from in-person school “to protect her well-being and her safety” after what she described as repeated incidents and staff conduct. “Would you feel comfortable leaving your nonverbal child with a staff member who refuses to assist, rolls their eyes when you attempt to get help, and shows physical frustration while interacting with your child?” Justice asked the board, saying the family had raised the concern with school administrators and the director of special education but had not seen a lasting remedy.

Mallory Shelton, a parent of a first grader at Myrtle Elementary, described a separate safety concern she called “elopement.” Shelton said her child has left supervised areas at school and that, in her view, staff responses have relied on classroom sticker charts rather than safety interventions. “I’m requesting a meeting with the board because I don’t believe safety concerns are being taken seriously,” she said.

Ben Chancy, who also identified himself as a parent of a special-needs student, said he recently learned a recommendation had been made to place his daughter in a life-skills classroom without parental involvement. He said the family moved their child to virtual instruction because they did not feel safe returning to school. “The decision to discuss such a major shift in placement without parental input raises serious concerns and appears to go against the principles of collaboration and transparency,” Chancy said.

After the public comments, Superintendent Don Hu (identified in the meeting) and the board declined to discuss individual student matters in public but said they had heard the concerns. “We don't comment on student matters, but the board has heard you, and we will meet and discuss,” the board said in response, offering to follow up outside the public meeting.

What happens next: Parents asked the board to schedule a formal meeting to review systemic issues in inclusion, paraprofessional assignments, and communication between families and special-education staff. The board indicated it would meet with families and administration to address the complaints but did not announce immediate, public remedies or timelines at the meeting.