ONLY ON CBS6: Mother alleges safety plan violations at daughter’s school – WRGB

Report on Alleged Safety Violations and Sustainable Development Goal Implications at Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology

Case Overview

This report details allegations made by a parent, Ravenne Dame, against the Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology, part of the City School District of Albany. The allegations concern repeated violations of a student’s safety plan, which is integrated into an Individualized Education Program (IEP). These events raise significant concerns regarding the institution’s alignment with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning health, education, and equality.

Subject Profile and Allegations

The case centers on a student with a complex set of needs that require specialized care within the educational environment, directly linking her situation to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

• Student Diagnoses:
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Anxiety
  • Asthma
  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Learning Disabilities
• IEP Safety Plan Stipulation: The plan mandates that staff must contact the parent before employing physical restraint, a measure designed to protect the child’s mental and physical well-being.
• Summary of Allegations:
  1. Violation of Safety Protocol: The school is alleged to have repeatedly failed to adhere to the IEP requirement of contacting the parent before restraining the child.
  2. Improper Physical Restraint: An incident was reported where a teacher allegedly used their body weight to restrain the student, causing her to have difficulty breathing.
  3. Neglect and Abuse: The parent describes a pattern of neglect and abuse beginning in September, creating an unsafe school environment.

Impact on Student Well-being and Educational Access

The alleged failures have had a severe negative impact on the student, directly contravening the principles of SDG 3. The resulting trauma has also created a significant barrier to her education, undermining the objectives of SDG 4.

• Psychological Trauma: The student is reportedly “so traumatized” that she no longer feels safe in any environment.
• Behavioral and Physical Manifestations: The distress has led to frequent panic attacks, ripping of her own clothes, and incontinence at school.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Non-Compliance

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The core of the allegations points to a failure to protect and promote the student’s mental and physical well-being. The school’s alleged disregard for known triggers (PTSD) and medical conditions (asthma) represents a direct challenge to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, especially for vulnerable children.

SDG 4: Quality Education

A safe and inclusive learning environment is a prerequisite for quality education. The allegations suggest a failure to provide this, thereby denying the student her right to an equitable education.

• Inclusive Environment: The school is described by the parent as “not equipped to handle” children with special needs, highlighting a lack of inclusivity.
• Failure of Support Systems: The alleged non-compliance with the IEP, a key legal and practical tool for ensuring educational access for students with disabilities, indicates a systemic breakdown in providing quality, individualized education.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

This case highlights the inequalities faced by children with disabilities within the education system. The failure to accommodate the student’s specific needs and protect her from harm underscores the systemic barriers that prevent vulnerable populations from participating fully and safely in society.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The parent’s struggle to have the established safety plan enforced points to a potential weakness in institutional accountability. Effective and inclusive institutions are a cornerstone of SDG 16. The reported events and the subsequent need for the parent to request an emergency meeting suggest that the existing processes for ensuring student safety and addressing grievances are not functioning effectively.

Institutional Response and Proposed Resolution

The City School District of Albany has issued a statement addressing its commitment to its students. The parent, however, has initiated action due to the perceived failure of the institution to protect her child.

• Parent’s Requested Action:
  1. An emergency meeting to withdraw the student from the classroom.
  2. Temporary homeschooling.
  3. An official transfer to a different school.
• District’s Official Statement:
  

  The City School District of Albany Special Education Department is committed to providing high-quality individualized programming that supports every students’ academic and social-emotional growth. The district complies with all federal and state regulations, which includes the provision of necessary training and certifications. Our teachers and staff work tirelessly to ensure that all of our students with disabilities are provided the services and opportunities they need and deserve. We are committed to communicating with our families and strive to maintain an open dialogue so that through collaboration we can ensure that students and families are valued and supported.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article directly addresses the physical and mental health of a child. The student has pre-existing conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, and asthma. The alleged actions of the school staff, such as improper physical restraint, have reportedly worsened her mental state, leading to frequent panic attacks and other trauma responses. This connects to the goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The entire context of the article is within an educational institution. The child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and learning disabilities, highlighting the need for inclusive and equitable quality education. The failure to provide a safe learning environment, as alleged by the mother, directly impedes the child’s access to education, forcing the parent to consider homeschooling. This relates to creating safe, inclusive, and effective learning environments for all children, especially those with disabilities.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is relevant as the article discusses the failure of an institution (the school) to protect a vulnerable individual. The mother’s allegations point to a lack of accountability and a violation of established safety protocols (the IEP). Her fight for an emergency meeting and a school transfer is a pursuit of justice and a demand for a more responsive and accountable institution that protects children from abuse and neglect.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being

  This target aims to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The article highlights the severe negative impact of the alleged incidents on the child’s mental health. Her mother states she is “so traumatized” that she is having frequent panic attacks. The failure to follow the safety plan directly undermines the promotion of the child’s mental well-being.

• Target 4.5: Ensure equal access to all levels of education for the vulnerable

  This target focuses on eliminating disparities in education and ensuring equal access for vulnerable children, including those with disabilities. The student in the article has several diagnoses (ADHD, learning disabilities, PTSD) that make her vulnerable. The school’s alleged failure to accommodate her needs and protect her safety creates an environment where she cannot access education equally, leading her mother to pull her from the classroom.

• Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities to be safe and inclusive

  This target calls for providing safe, non-violent, inclusive, and effective learning environments for all. The mother’s claim that her daughter “don’t feel safe anywhere” and the allegation of a teacher using their body weight on the child until she “couldn’t breathe” directly contradict the principle of a safe and non-violent school environment. The mother’s statement that “Some of these schools are not equipped to handle some of our children” points to a systemic failure in providing an inclusive environment for students with special needs.

• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children

  The mother’s allegations describe actions that fall under the umbrella of violence and abuse against a child. The claim of a teacher putting “her body weight on my daughter” and the repeated violations of a safety plan designed to prevent harm constitute a form of institutional neglect and potential physical abuse, which this target aims to eliminate.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 3.4: Prevalence of mental health conditions and trauma responses

  The article implies this indicator through the mother’s description of her daughter’s deteriorating condition. The frequency of panic attacks, ripping her own clothes, and peeing on herself are measurable signs of severe psychological distress. A reduction in these incidents would indicate an improvement in the child’s mental well-being.

• Indicator for Target 4.5/4.a: Implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

  The core of the conflict is the school’s alleged failure to adhere to the child’s IEP and safety plan. Therefore, the rate of compliance with and successful implementation of IEPs for students with disabilities serves as a direct indicator of whether the school is providing equal access and a safe, inclusive environment. The number of violations reported by parents could be a key metric.

• Indicator for Target 16.2: Number of reported incidents of violence or abuse in schools

  The mother’s specific allegation of improper physical restraint is a reported incident of violence. Tracking the number and nature of such complaints filed by parents against school staff would be a direct way to measure progress towards ending all forms of violence against children within educational institutions.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cbs6albany.com