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Parent tells board special-education supports failed her son; seeks accountability
Summary
A Calexico Unified parent described repeated disciplinary removals, alleged lack of IEP implementation and inadequate staff training for her kindergarten child with disabilities, and asked the board to hold staff accountable and intervene to prevent further harm.
At the board’s public-comment period, Graciela Batani described a series of incidents involving her kindergarten child with a documented disability and an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Batani said that, despite academic proficiency, staff repeatedly removed and isolated her son; she described an October incident in which, she said, the principal directed her to clean the classroom while she was pregnant, and she said staff later considered a three-day suspension that was reduced to one.
Batani said the district offered special-day-class placement before evaluations were finalized and that a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) had not been put in place. She said staff have not consistently been trained to de-escalate and that repeated removal, suspension and police home visits had damaged trust and her son’s access to education. She urged trustees to hold responsible individuals accountable and to intervene to prevent further harm to students.
Board members thanked Batani for her remarks; no formal action (motions or referrals) was recorded in the meeting minutes during the public-comment portion. The board did not announce a follow-up vote or assignment on the record during the meeting.
