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Teachers and school staff warn of worsening student behavior; urge more BCBAs, counselors and aides
Summary
Teachers, counselors and behavioral technicians told the Merced City School District board that daily aggressive incidents — including hitting, biting, eloping and evacuations — are disrupting instruction and endangering staff and students. Speakers asked the board for more behavioral specialists, counselors, and clearer pathways for alternative placements.
Staff and parents urged the Merced City School District Board of Trustees on Oct. 14 to act quickly on what teachers described as an escalating crisis of student behavior that is undermining instruction and staff safety.
Multiple classroom teachers, a school psychologist and behavioral technicians detailed recurring incidents that they said have become routine: students screaming, hitting, kicking, biting, throwing furniture and repeatedly “eloping” from classrooms. Kristen Peterson, a school psychologist with 12 years in the district, described how trauma and early childhood adversity can rewire children’s stress responses: “When a child experiences persistent chaos or neglect, their developing brain adapts to prioritize immediate survival,” she…
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