Parents frustrated that their children have been evacuated from a kindergarten classroom at a Brighton elementary school 28 times in the first three months of the school year sought help this week from school officials.

Courtney Lusk, a mother of twin daughters in the Hilton Elementary School kindergarten class, told the Board of Education one child has caused all the disruptions, and recited a litany of dates throughout October and November where the child threw shoes, books, crayons, chairs and a toy box.

“Our children are literal sitting ducks in this classroom,” she said. “Our children have a right to a safe education, they should be learning to read and write and do math, instead of being taught to evacuate, run to their lockers and show kindness to a student who traumatizes them on a regular basis."

Lusk also said there were four instances in which the child was removed to a calming room where he defecated and smeared fecal matter.

School Board President Andy Burchfield told the parents the board takes their concerns seriously, but couldn’t discuss them at the meeting. He said there would be “further discussion” on the issue.

Ross Gemuend said he attended the meeting on behalf of his daughter Riley and many parents whose children have been exposed to the violent outbursts.

“My daughter and 23 other students continue to endure this outrageous situation, despite pleas to have the student removed from the classroom and given the help he needs,” Gemuend said. “While we are obviously concerned about this student, our children have a right to a safe learning environment.”

Gemuend said a child and teacher were injured on Nov. 20 after the student threw a chair.

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“Enough is enough,” Gemuend said, who was among more than a half dozen parents who spoke. “I shouldn’t have to continually assure my daughter she won’t be harmed by this particular student, especially when I can’t be sure myself.”

Brighton Superintendent Greg Gray said he could not discuss specific students, nor whether a child and a teacher had been injured. He said children often have an individualized educational plan where intervention and improvement options are decided on by a team of professionals, including teachers, psychologists and social workers.

“There are always some students that struggle,” Gray said. “Our No. 1 goal is to have everyone have equal access to education and the best education and we have teams that work all day long to make this happen.”

The district's policy prevents secluding or restraining students unless it is a last resort in an emergency situation.

“Through behavioral plans, we are always focused on classroom safety and district safety,” Gray said. “I want parents to know we support them and are doing everything we can.”

'Educators are facing a lot more issues'

Mike Hubert, superintendent of the Livingston Educational Service Agency, which provides special education support to the district, said it is unfortunate that behavior can cause disruption.

Behavioral issues in students have become more of a problem in public schools in the last 10 years, Hubert said, and "it is not clear what is causing the trend."

“Public educators are facing a lot more issues with student behavior, but just because they express a behavior doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to an education," he said. "It’s inconvenient, but they still have the right to be there.”

Joanne Winkelman, supervisor in the program accountability unit at the Michigan Department of Education, said there are numerous ways to address behavioral issues in children who have individualized education plans.

Part of the strategy is to teach a child how to behave and comply in a classroom, not simply telling them what they can’t do.

“In this particular instance, the IEP team should come together with parents and see about other strategies, obviously this is not working too well,” Winkelman said. “They have other placement options to consider...The child has a right to be in school, but if a child is having a meltdown all the time, there needs to be a better strategy.”

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Contact Livingston Daily reporter Susan Bromley at 517-552-2854 or sbromley@livingstondaily.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanBromley10.