Parent tells board her disabled twins left school over safety and support concerns

Ursula Lessex of McCandless Township spoke during the public-comment period on March 25 as a parent of twin children with disabilities, describing a decision to move them to cyber school after she concluded their school environment repeatedly overwhelmed their ability to learn and left them feeling unsafe. "School avoidance is often misunderstood as refusal or non-compliance," Lessex said. "For children with developmental trauma, it is a nervous system response."

Lessex said her children began to re-engage once they were moved to cyber school, which provided safety, predictability and supports that allowed learning to resume. She said her family sought collaborative support from the district but instead encountered actions "that are not responsive to our children's needs." She asked the board for "reflection, restraint, and accountability" and urged the district to ensure that policies are practiced in ways that honor vulnerable families.

The board did not provide a substantive on-the-record response during the public-comment period. Lessex's remarks highlighted gaps between policy language and family experience, particularly for students with developmental trauma and complex special-education needs. The board's next scheduled meetings include a proposed final budget presentation on April 15 and a final budget approval on May 20; there was no public record at this meeting of staff follow-up directed specifically to Lessex's concerns.