Ladouceur requests RIDE investigation on special education

After he and the Warwick Educational Outreach Committee hosted a public forum on the matter last month, Councilman Ed Ladouceur said he has once again reached out to the Rhode Island Department of Education requesting an investigation into Warwick’s Special Education department.

In an email to RIDE’s David Sienko, Ladouceur detailed what was said at the forum. When he had asked that night if anyone from the department was in attendance, he received no response.

Educators had said their classrooms have turned into “chaotic and unsettling” environments. They described students displaying aggression and directing profane language toward others, running around, causing disruptions, and screaming and yelling in classes. Many asserted that the schools are violating IEPs (individual education programs), with teachers describing classes of more than 20 with as many as 15 IEPs. One educator and a school psychologist who spoke at the forum couldn’t provide specific details, but said she knew of crisis situations where they’ve been directed not to call 911 or the Kent Center but to instead de-escalate the child and send them back to class.

Ladouceur said this was his second request for an investigation and that since the forum, the “level of concern” has grown. He reiterated that those who spoke knew they were on the record and thus he has faith and confidence that their testimonies were truthful. Since then, he said, he’s been getting emails and calls almost every day from parents, teachers, and others who bring about some new occurrence in the special education system.

“Since that meeting, it’s amazing how many follow-up emails and calls that I’ve gotten” he said. “This is telling me that they’re starting to have more and more courage to step up and talk about this.”

Ladouceur said he sent the email to Sienko independently last Wednesday and that the Educational Outreach Committee will hold a follow-up meeting to continue discussing the claims that just keep coming.

“We need this investigation and we need to solve this problem to whatever degree these problems are that are going on in special ed,” he said. “I’m committed to doing that. We’ll continue to press forward with this and get it to a better place.”

Mayor Scott Avedisian is aware of the request and was copied on Ladouceur’s email.

“I would ask that the Rhode Island Department of Education investigate the situation and report back as quickly as possible,” he said on Monday. “That will allow the issue to be settled and for alterations to be implemented if necessary.”

Warwick Teachers Union President and EOC member Darlene Netcoh said what’s happening in the city is a “travesty” and that some kind of action needs to be taken.

“There is a huge problem with special ed in this district right now and when EOC held that forum, we heard from teachers and parents. Basically, this Superintendent and this director of special services have made a mess out of special ed in this district,” she said. “It’s time for some kind of investigation. If they had just followed the contractual language, which has worked for decades, we would not be in the situation we are in now.”

However, Elliot Krieger, commissioner support at RIDE, said that since the School Committee is an elected body, RIDE doesn’t have the authority to intervene, only to adjudicate.

“We’re not an investigative agency – that falls within the domain of the school committee and administration, he said.”

But if rights are being violated, he said, the issue can be brought to the commissioner for adjudication or a hearing before the commissioner or special education hearing officer can be requested.

“Of course, RIDE will respond formally to communications we receive from the City Council on this matter, outlining some of the options and possible next steps for dispute resolution,” Krieger said.

Regardless of what materializes, Superintendent Philip Thornton said, “As always, the Warwick Public Schools are willing to work and cooperate with RIDE in all matters.”

Special Services Director Jennifer Connolly did not respond to requests for comment.