A Manhattan parent told the Board of Education on Nov. 5 that the district's visitors policy has been used to block an approved behavioral technician from observing his child's special education sessions, a change the parent described as retaliatory.

"This was clearly an act of retaliation," said Kevin Steinmetz, who identified himself as residing at 1825 Leavenworth Street, describing a sequence in which his daughter missed scheduled SPED pull-out minutes and the family's BT was later barred from observations after the parents raised concerns about instructional techniques. Steinmetz said one session was canceled after his daughter briefly left to use the restroom and that the BT had previously been permitted to observe under the IEP team's agreement.

The district policy language cited by Steinmetz allows the district to rescind observations "at any time for any reason," and he said the clause is being interpreted to prevent the BT from attending sessions at a private school where the family later enrolled the child. He told the board the private school permits BT observations but that the district appears to be extending its visitors policy to deny the same access.

District staff did not take immediate action on the floor but the public comment was referred to administrators for follow-up. Board discussion later in the meeting referenced an ongoing visitor-policy review: Trustee Katie Allen said she had attended a policy committee meeting and said the committee will hold a public meeting next week to review a draft report on the visitors policy.

Steinmetz urged the board to clarify how the policy applies to observers in district and private settings and to ensure that procedural changes do not curtail parents' ability to monitor special-education services. The board packet and meeting agenda note that citizen comments are referred to administrators for future information or research, and district staff told the board the matter will be forwarded to the appropriate administrators for investigation.

No formal action or vote on the visitors policy was taken at the Nov. 5 meeting.