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Students and parents raise suspension and special-education concerns during open forum
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Summary
Multiple public commenters—including students—alleged mishandled bullying incidents and wrongful suspensions at Ohlone Elementary, cited California Education Code provisions, and urged stronger protections; other commenters called for an independent audit of special-education practices after a recent court ruling was referenced.
During open forum, students and parents urged the board to address what they described as mishandled bullying incidents and improperly imposed suspensions at Ohlone Elementary. A fifth-grade student described being suspended after venting in a private Google Doc and said the suspension caused her to miss an overnight field trip; the student cited California Education Code language in her remarks.
A sixth-grade student described a pattern of alleged harassment and said some no-contact agreements were violated repeatedly without consequence. The chair reminded students and parents that formal complaint processes (UCP and Title IX) are available and that the district’s formal complaint channels can be used to document concerns.
Several speakers called for an independent audit of the district’s special-education organization and its programs, referencing a January 22 court ruling that they said found district noncompliance with IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and state education law. Steven Davis urged the board to authorize and implement an independent special-education audit.
Union and teacher representatives also addressed contract negotiations elsewhere in the meeting, saying some negotiation proposals asked staff to perform unpaid adjunct duties and urging the board to recognize educators’ ongoing work to build community in classrooms.
Trustees thanked speakers, reminded the public of complaint procedures, and asked staff to follow up where appropriate. Several speakers requested greater transparency in complaint investigations and faster responses to systemic issues.
