FORT COVINGTON, N.Y. (WRGB) — Parents of an 8-year-old non-verbal autistic boy are suing the Salmon River Central School District, alleging their son was placed inside a wooden box as part of his behavioral intervention plan. Rhonda Garrow, the boy’s mother, discovered the box through Facebook, later learning the box was meant specifically for him, and expressed her shock.
“I definitely feel he was targeted for his disability. They used it against him because he can’t talk,” she said.
Garrow claims her son was forced to spend significant time in the box, including eating meals there, without her knowledge. Now, she says her son is scared to go to school.
“He sees the bus, and he’s just like ‘no, no, no, no’ like he had a reaction every time the bus pulls up,” Garrow said.
Greg Rinckey, founding partner of Tully Rinckey, stated that the family is seeking justice and aims to prevent similar incidents.
“It’s very shocking to us that the teacher knew about it, the special education knew about this, the principal, the board of education. No one said ‘timeout, this is a bad idea,’” Rinckey said.
He added that the Department of Education ordered the dismantling of the box and two others, questioning who made them and why.
In a statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul finds the reports “highly disturbing and raises serious questions regarding the safety of children at this school.”
Some online have suggested the box was a racially motivated form of separation, as the St. Regis Mohawk School is entirely composed of Native American children.
The district’s director of special education, a principal, and a teacher have been placed on leave. A new full-time acting superintendent has been appointed, and an investigation is ongoing. The district indicated that further personnel actions might be taken based on new findings.
