Parent tells Calexico Unified board her 5-year-old with autism was left unsupported

Graciella Batani, a parent of a 5‑year‑old kindergarten student at Cesar Chavez Elementary School, told the Calexico Unified School District board she has spent three months seeking help for her son and has met silence or inappropriate responses from school staff.

"From the start of the school year, my son has struggled to adjust. His behaviors have escalated not because he's defiant or dangerous, but because he has been left unsupported by the principal, his teacher, and the school psychologist," Batani said during public comment, adding that staff at times isolated her son and that the principal told the family "all of his classmates are afraid of him." She said the school psychologist recommended medication "without the credentials or proper evaluation," a suggestion she described as "inappropriate" and "unethical." Batani also said her son was suspended for a day and a half while still awaiting evaluations and accommodations she says he is legally owed.

Batani said she has contacted the principal, teacher, superintendent, counselors and the special education department and that some board members did not respond to multiple emails. "The silence from district leadership... have left my family feeling ignored, dismissed, and completely unsupported," she said, and asked the board to intervene on her son's behalf.

Board members acknowledged the comment and asked staff to follow up. President Contas and district staff offered to schedule a meeting to address the family's concerns, and staff indicated a follow-up would be arranged after the meeting.

Why it matters: Batani's statement raises questions about whether the district provided legally required special-education supports and how quickly staff respond to families seeking evaluations and accommodations. The board did not take public action on the item during the meeting; Batani asked for board intervention and a meeting with the superintendent.

What the district said in the meeting: District staff were present for the subsequent enrollment presentation and other agenda items; during the meeting they offered to schedule follow-up with Batani but did not provide a public timeline or a formal remediation plan on the record.

Next steps: Batani said she will continue to advocate for her son. The board and district staff said they would follow up privately with the family and the special education office. No formal board motion or vote about the case was recorded in the public session.