Parents at the St. Regis Mohawk School in Akwesasne, New York, are outraged that their elementary children have been forced into time-out in a windowless classroom "box."
Photos of the box were posted to Facebook by Chrissy Jacobs.
It was supposedly constructed for special needs students.
‘It reminds me of when our people were locked in boxes at residential school,' Jacobs said, a nod to the fact that a majority of the students in the district, which is just south of the Canadian border, are Native American.
‘Praying our children get justice because as of right now they're being pushed through a school system that receives millions in Indian education aid money but doesn't work for them. The inequity is exhausting. This is supposed to be school for our beloved babies not a prison with a kid size "hole".
"Inequity"?
It's bad enough that they're sticking kids in a box.
Why does it have to be a rage-baity, DEI rant too?
District Superintendent Stanley Harper admitted that the box was in the classroom, and that there were at least two more in their district. But he says they were never used for students.
Parents in the district refute that claim though.
At a later public meeting, a furious dad disputed that, saying his special-needs son told him he ‘felt bad for one of his friends that had to go in there.'
Governor Kathy Hochul said,
As a mom, I know firsthand the trust parents place in our schools, and the teachers and administrators who work with our children. School should be a place where every child is safe, respected and supported.
These allegations are alarming and entirely unacceptable and the state's independent education department must take swift action to investigate and rectify this situation.
While the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) has launched an investigation, it's difficult to know how jurisdiction works since the school is technically on reservation land.
The tribal council has asked for patience and recommending against outside interference while the investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile the school board released the following statement:
After learning of the allegations, the board at its Dec. 17 meeting reassigned Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stanley Harper to home duties pending the full investigation. Salmon River Director of Special Education Allen Gravell, St. Regis Mohawk School Principal Alison Benedict and elementary school teacher Karrie Haverstock were placed on administrative leave by the district until further notice.
They also said they are removing all the boxes and deeply regret any of this happened.
These poor kids are all going to need a lot of therapy to get over their fear of boxes when they grow up, and I know just the guy.
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