Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges county to prioritize school speech services and clarify student-safety committee role
Summary
A citizen and CCAC vice chair told commissioners that students with lagging speech skills can develop behavior problems and questioned why the board oversees a student safety and well-being advisory committee rather than school staff; she urged direct collaboration with school personnel.
Shelly Baden, speaking as a citizen and vice chair of a county advisory council, told commissioners that limited speech-pathologist availability is creating safety and behavior problems for students who lack communication supports.
"Students with speech issues become frustrated when they cannot communicate effectively. This leads to behavior issues," Shelly Baden (speaker 11) said during public comment. She described a nationwide shortage of speech pathologists and other therapists and urged the board to ensure those services are delivered through the appropriate school departments.
Baden also said she was "unclear on the mission for this committee as well as why it's being overseen by the county commissioners," and asked whether resources would be better directed to school staff who deliver speech and therapy services. She recommended closer collaboration between the board, the school system and classroom staff to prevent student-safety incidents rather than relying on punitive consequences.
The board acknowledged the comment; no formal action was taken during the meeting on the school services or committee oversight.
