Kent parents, teachers say special ed students disruptive, dangerous in classroom

Teachers and parents in Kent complain some students with special needs are causing problems in the classroom that threaten the safety and learning of others, and they’re demanding the district do more to handle the problem.

“The last four years especially, we’ve been having issues with violent and disruptive children in the classroom,” says Cindy Prescott with the Kent Education Association.

She says the problems grew when the district discontinued a program for students with diagnosed behavior issues. Some transferred to other schools, but others have remained in regular classrooms with teachers who have not had specific training in dealing with special needs.

In at least one case, an elementary school classroom had to be evacuated when a student became violent and began overturning desks, Prescott says. She says teachers have been injured trying to calm the students.

“They’re always going to be in there doing everything they think they can do, and in some cases, there have been injuries and people going to the emergency room. A concussion was sustained in one situation,” she says.

Kent School District spokesman Chris Loftis says the problems are isolated and the discontinued program only served five students at the time. He says the district has been taking a close look at the concerns and potential solutions.

“That type of evaluation of individual situations and systemic problems is a constant evaluation,” he says. The district has recently completed two independent reviews and will hold a special board meeting next month to hear recommendations from state and national experts on how best to address the issues.

Teachers and parents say the district isn’t moving fast enough. They’re requesting a number of changes, including reinstatement of the school adjustment program for students with diagnosed behavior issues for grades K-3, and a full autism program for grades K-12 beginning in 2014-15.

They’re also seeking a negotiated ratio of special education teachers to students in the special education classes at every elementary school, at least one full time counselor at each elementary school, and at least one full time behavioral specialist in buildings with high needs. They want every school to provide a special room for students who need to be removed from classrooms for behavior concerns.

“Those students are not getting their needs met and the specific help that they may need and it’s also creating problems for other students in the classroom and other instructors as well,” Prescott says.

The teachers and parents staged a protest Wednesday night at the Kent School Board meeting to make their voices heard.

“We’re going to listen because we share those passions but we have to look at it beyond the situation and look at systemic change,” Loftis says. “We certainly understand the passions that come with situations whenever something impacts your students’ classroom or your workplace.”