Clover parents want cameras in special ed classes after mistreatment allegations

School leaders in Clover pledged to talk about the need for cameras in special education classrooms after parents complained about the handling of allegations involving the treatment of autistic children at Larne Elementary School.

About a dozen parents addressed the Clover school board Monday with concerns about the allegations. Several wanted the district to install security cameras in special education classrooms to protect children not able to talk about what happens at school.

Ronald Russell, whose 14-year-old daughter attended Larne and is now at Clover Middle School, said he is “deeply concerned for my child’s safety.”

Russell said his daughter, who is on the autistic spectrum, doesn’t communicate well.

“It would give the parents some comfort, especially after the allegations,” Russell said, “knowing the classrooms are being monitored.”

Rebecca Stead, the mother of a third-grade special education student at Larne Elementary, echoed his comments. “If my son was in jeopardy, I would want something done,” she said. “If I can’t be there, I need you to be there.”

Kim Garhart, who said she pulled her 10-year-old autistic son out of Larne last fall and is now homeschooling, also spoke in favor of cameras in special education classes.

“Our children don’t have a voice,” she said. “This would protect everyone.”

District spokesman Bryan Dillon said the case arose in 2014 when an employee reported incidents of alleged abuse in a Larne Elementary classroom for autistic children. Dillon said the district investigated and was not able to substantiate claims of abuse.

Parents approached the board after a Charlotte television report on the case last week.

After listening to parents, school board chairman Mack McCarter said the board would “consider a district policy in the near future” on cameras in classrooms.

According to a school board statement, “there are significant operational, privacy and policy-related questions that must be answered before any decision can be made.”

Superintendent Marc Sosne said he asked the school board for a couple weeks to do research on the camera issue. He said he wants to see if other districts are using them in special education rooms and how it’s working.

He said he also needs to look into what policies would be necessary to use cameras in such classrooms and if there are legal issues.

He said the school district has security cameras in hallways, parking lots, cafeterias and other locations where problems can happen, but none in classrooms.

“I am not aware of any district that is using cameras in classrooms, or in special education classrooms,” Sosne said, “but I am looking into it and if there is merit, we are going to be very open to it.”

Board member Sherri Ciurlik said cameras in classrooms can “open a whole cans of worms with student and teacher privacy issues. While a camera may make one person feel more secure, others may not be.”

Ciurlik said before any plan involving classroom cameras would reach the school board, she expects there would be chances for parents and teachers to weigh in.

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 6:32 PM with the headline "Clover parents want cameras in special ed classes after mistreatment allegations."