School District Responds To Alarming Allegations Of Abuse

BEDFORD, NY — The Bedford Central School District voted to hire an independent investigator to probe the way school administrators handled disturbing allegations of bullying, abuse and the possible sexual exploitation of special needs students at Fox Lane High School.

Irate families of Fox Lane students chided Bedford Central School District Board of Education members and administrators at a meeting last week after details slowly began to emerge about images and videos of naked special education students at Fox Lane High School being circulated. Parents, some holding signs that read, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" and "Disability rights are civil rights," accused school administrators of trying to sweep the abuse under the rug.

"The key here that caught the attention of one of the other impacted families is what brought this issue to light," Karen Close, the mother of one of the victims said. "This is when the parents promptly brought this to school administrators. The bathroom incident had been reported to the school, yet the school administration failed to inform the potentially impacted families until the families brought it to them."

At one point breaking down in tears, Close told the board that naked pictures of her autistic son were circulated on social media. She said the Bedford Police Department is now investigating the case.

"We are struggling daily to comprehend what would compel individuals to even consider perpetrating the severe and heinous crime to our most vulnerable students," Close said while struggling to hold back tears.

Calling the incident the very definition of a "federal hate crime against a particular classification of students," she said, "the current anti-bullying programs and procedures at our school put in place to report and handle these very situations are ineffective and all failed."

While she placed much of the blame on school administrators, Close said that the entire school community, including faculty, students and parents should be ashamed of failing to keep the most vulnerable students safe.

The photos and videos were taken in December and in March in a boys' restroom at the high school and were circulated on social media, but Close said that school administrators only recently revealed the abuse to affected families.

Giovanni Piccolino, whose son was also a victim, said the abuse was even more horrific because many of the students victimized were non-verbal and could not defend themselves, ask for help or even report the abuse.

"I implore you to be the watchdogs of the administration, to ensure that the policies that are in place are implemented and hold them accountable when there is a breakdown," Piccolino said. "Will you ask the questions that need to be asked? Like, when and how did you communicate with the parents of potential victims or what are you doing now to find out who else may have done this and who else may be a victim? Are you reviewing these policies and the practices of the school to make sure that if naked photos and videos were taken and distributed of your child, would you be satisfied with how the administration is handling these heinous acts?"

Amy Capobianco-Diaz, a Mount Kisco educator who is also the mother of an autistic son, served notice to the school board and Fox Lane administrators that she won't allow the serious incidents of abuse to be covered up.

“Transparency has always been problematic and respect for our special needs community is horribly lacking," Capobianco-Diaz said. "The recent horrific events has shed a light on unjust treatment and total disregard for this underappreciated community. You may underestimate those who are not able to speak but you have clearly underestimated the ones who are willing to speak for them."

School board member Steven Matlin proposed a resolution calling for the district to hire an independent third party to investigate the troubling incidents. The board unanimously approved his resolution.

"We cannot sit by any longer waiting for another unspeakable event to happen," Matlin said. "This board has an obligation to every current and future BCS student to do everything in our power to ensure nothing like this ever happens again. Writing this off as an isolated incident and in no way self-reflective or acknowledging that we can and must do better. The status quo is no longer acceptable. The first step in ensuring the safety of every present and future BCS student must start tonight."

A spokesperson for the school told Patch the superintendent would make a statement Thursday morning. School administrators reconsidered that decision and declined to comment. Bedford schools are on break this week and calls to Superintendent Joel Adelberg's office were not immediately returned.