New York Orders Reforms After Disabled Students Confined In Wooden Boxes
On May 8, 2026, New York's Education Department issued a compliance order requiring sweeping reforms at Salmon River Central School District after investigators found disabled elementary students were confined in wooden boxes.[1]
State investigators found at least five elementary-age students with disabilities had been placed inside wooden boxes used as "stations" for timeout in November and December 2025.[1] They concluded staff illegally used seclusion and failed to notify parents, violating New York rules on corporal punishment and aversive interventions.[1]
In December 2025, photos of the boxes spread on social media, prompting the district to remove the boxes and place staff on leave.[1] The state order directs the district to implement corrective changes and submit to oversight, though it does not itself require staff dismissals.[1]
The district serves communities around Fort Covington, New York, including the St. Regis Mohawk (Akwesasne) Reservation.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On May 8, 2026, New York's Education Department issued a compliance order mandating reforms at Salmon River Central School District.
- The state investigation found at least five elementary-age students with disabilities were confined in wooden boxes used as "stations" for timeout in November and December 2025.
- Investigators concluded that staff illegally used seclusion and failed to notify parents, violating New York regulations on corporal punishment and aversive interventions.
- The district removed the boxes and placed staff on leave after photos spread on social media in December 2025; the state order does not itself mandate staff dismissals.
- The affected district serves communities around Fort Covington, New York, including the St. Regis Mohawk (Akwesasne) Reservation.
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