Parents and a student tell Vigo County board students’ 504 accommodations weren’t followed; public commenter urges limits on e-learning days

At the board's second public-comment period, a parent and a student described what they called repeated failures by school staff to follow a student's 504 accommodations, and another community member urged the district to limit e-learning days because of equity concerns.

Samantha Lambertus (speaker 19) said her daughter's 504 plan was created after a medical event and that "for whatever reason, her teachers had a hard time following this from the start," adding that only one teacher consistently followed accommodations. She said the lack of communication from administrators and teachers worsened her daughter's experience and damaged confidence.

A student identified as Taylor (speaker 20) said she had a concussion last September and that her 504 plan was not followed by the majority of teachers and administrators, which she said made symptoms worse and harmed her ability to keep up in fast-moving AP classes. "There were also multiple times where I was called out 504 by several different teachers and administration, which made me feel embarrassed," Taylor said.

Earlier in the public-comment period, Mel Booth (speaker 3) urged the board to limit district e-learning days to one or two per year and to require makeup days in person for weather or other closures, arguing that students without strong at-home supports fall further behind. "I would ask for you to consider on your school calendar 1 or 2 days to be your e learning days... The other days that you missed due to weather or other circumstances, we make that up like we did the old days," Booth said.

Board members thanked the commenters for speaking. No immediate corrective measures or formal responses were recorded in the meeting transcript; administration did not announce specific follow-up steps during the session. The board's next meeting is scheduled for July 27 at 6 p.m.