SALMON RIVER, N.Y. — The Salmon River Central School District is under investigation following disturbing allegations that wooden timeout boxes were used to confine elementary school students, particularly those with disabilities. The revelation has sparked outrage among parents and community members in the small district located near the New York-Canada border, which serves approximately 1,300 students.
The controversy erupted when images of the wooden boxes, which resemble small padded cells, circulated on social media after a former school board member raised concerns about their use. In response, the school board placed three staff members, including an elementary school teacher, on administrative leave and reassigned the superintendent to home duties. They are cooperating with an investigation led by the New York State Department of Education.
District Superintendent Jason Brockway confirmed that the boxes had been set up at two elementary schools but insisted that no students had ever been placed inside them. However, parents attending a recent community meeting expressed their fears that their children may have experienced confinement in the boxes. One parent reported their minimally verbal child indicated that the boxes were used as a place to “calm down” when feeling happy or sad.
The issue resonates deeply within the community, particularly among the more than 60% of students who identify as Native American. For many, the boxes evoke painful memories of abusive residential schools aimed at assimilating Indigenous children into white society. One parent, Sarah Konwahahawi Herne, shared her family’s history with residential schools, stating that the issue is not just historical but affects their contemporary lives.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has called the allegations “highly disturbing,” asserting that schools must be safe and supportive environments for all students. The school board issued a public apology, acknowledging the distress caused by the situation and emphasizing that it does not reflect the district’s values.
As the investigation unfolds, community members are advocating for accountability and transparency regarding the treatment of students within the district.
