New Developments in LPS Seclusion Room Saga
Another family has come forward alleging a special needs student was left alone in time out rooms; DA’s office confirms involvement.
A third Lexington family has come forward and asked that their case be included in a state investigation into the alleged mistreatment of special needs students within the Lexington Public Schools.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office on Thursday confirmed the office was looking into a complaint associated with the seclusion room allegations, but could not comment about the specifics or who filed it.
That confirmation came a day after Lexington Superintendent Paul Ash said the district filed a 51A with the state’s Department of Children and Families following public calls for an independent investigation into allegations made in an opinion piece published last weekend in the New York Times.
In the OpEd, former Lexington resident Bill Lichtenstein wrote of his daughter’s experiences as a kindergartner enrolled at the Fiske Elementary School during the 2005-2006 school year, when the school was temporarily housed in the old Harrington School during construction.
According to Lichtenstein, his then 5-year-old daughter was “kept in a seclusion room for up to an hour at a time over the course of three months, until we discovered what was happening.”
As the district began to respond to those allegations, a second parent stepped forward at a School Committee meeting and shared her son’s story of being left inside a “quiet room” in 2008.
About the same time, a third family was sharing its story with WBZ and viewers of the 11 p.m. news.
Now, that family has asked that their case be included in the review by a state oversight agency.
Initially, the DCF filing was to look into the Lichtenstein allegations and the case mentioned at the Sept. 11 School Committee meeting. However, Ash has said the door was left open to expand the scope of the state investigation to include other cases.
“Their names were submitted to DCF in yesterday's 51A filing regarding another student to alert them there may be other cases,” Ash wrote in an email to Patch. “We told DCF we are in the process of reviewing the material received, which may invoke our obligation as mandated reporters.”
Read More on This Issue
LPS Officials Will Respond to NY Times OpEd Alleging 'Terrifying' Treatment of Special Needs Student
LPS Superintendent Statement Challenges NYT OpEd Alleging Mistreatment of Special Needs Student
Lichtenstein Explains 'Seclusion Room' OpEd, Allegations Against LPS
Lichtenstein Responds to Ash's Statements
LPS Officials to Further Address 'Seclusion Room' Allegations Tonight
Residents, School Committee Members Call for Independent Review of Isolation Room Complaints
VIDEO: LPS Superintendent Was 'Disturbed' By Seclusion Room Allegations
Ash Asks State to Investigate Seclusion Room Allegations at LPS
Janie Sand
4:20 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
Let me be the FIRST to say it.
Dr. Paul Ash MUST go.
See: http://lexington.patch.com/articles/new-developments-in-lps-isolation-room-saga
Diana Glass
4:57 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
The head of special ed *should be* a direct report to the superintendent. No reason that Dr. Ash should not have known.
Janie Sand
5:44 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
When a child is abused, everyone has a "direct report" to the superintendent if necessary. And to the police, DA, DCF and everyone else responsible for keeping our kids safe. At least that's how I look at it.
fitzroy
10:53 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
What is the correct protocol for dealing with a child that is having an episode? Is there a different protocol for those children with special needs? Does the response change depending on the level of severity of the child's disability? Is there a prescriptive method in determining the correct response? Is it realistic to expect that government can respond to the needs of disabled children in a manner acceptable to society in all circumstances all the time? Where should society set its expectations?
fitzroy
11:32 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
. . . anyone have any answers? Any experts out there?
Andrei Radulescu-Banu
10:10 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
And why did the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office make a public announcement about an anonymous complaint in this saga? Have all Lexington constituencies been herd yet?
I attended the School Committee meeting and one community which should be very much on one mind has been missing. Can someone in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office review the video before making the next step?
Should not all voices be heard before we snap to judgement about our Superintendent of Schools?
Helpful
1:48 am on Sunday, September 16, 2012
Fitzroy: The resource guide mentioned in Lichenstein's article is very helpful. I have used it. It was just developed by the US Department of Education. You can download it here: http://www.aapd.com/resources/publications/doe-seclusion-restraint.pdf
Also, there were just Senate hearings on all of the approaches that work OTHER than tying kids up or locking them in closets. They had lots of examples. You can see that here and there's even video of the testimony: http://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=28ddbd0d-5056-9502-5dea-7197eb6434c8
Does that help?
LexMom
10:35 pm on Sunday, September 16, 2012
My son just sent me this...
http://terrifyingdiscipline.weebly.com/serious-child-abuse-petty-concerns---bill-lichtenstein-91612.html
"Serious Child Abuse, Petty Concerns"
by Bill Lichtenstein
Response to "Lexington Accusations Answered"
Boston Globe 9/16/2012
LexMom
8:43 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
"The isolation room that the Lexington (MA) Public Schools crisis manager just told the Boston Globe was not a closet, but a room "used by teachers for one-on-one instruction." Bill Lichtenstein's reesponse at http://terrifyingdiscipline.weebly.com/serious-child-abuse-petty-concerns---bill-lichtenstein-91612.html
Alan Seferian
10:12 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
The worst thing you can do in a crisis is to appear arrogant and dismissive, even if you sincerely believe the charges to be false. Containing the damage is the primary goal of crisis management. The facts will eventually come out.
Lexington keeps making the mistake of raising the stakes with Mr. Lichtenstein, even after hiring a professional PR person. Her initial response was as bad as the Superintendent's was. A little humility goes a long way.