Editor’s note: This article was updated, because the superintendent is not going to head up the special education department as the district originally decided. Another change reflects that a meeting between administration the teacher’s union was postponed.
BARNEGAT – The Barnegat Township School Board terminated five staff members and reassigned an administrator in response to an incident where a non-verbal autistic child was restrained with painter’s tape, and photographs of the child were distributed.
A special meeting was held to address this issue, attended by approximately 200 people, expressing outrage and demanding systemic changes.
The board unanimously voted to terminate four paraprofessionals and one teacher, whose names were only identified by employee number. Director of Student Services, Dan Gundersen, was removed from his position and will be reassigned as an assistant principal at a yet-to-be-named district school.
Superintendent Dr. Brian Latwis, who previously served as the district’s Director of Special Education, was to assume both roles. That has since changed, with the vice principal of the Brackman Middle School, John Fiorentino, stepping in as the Interim Director of Special Education. Frank Pannullo has been reassigned as the Vice Principal of Barnegat High School to take Fiorentino’s place in the middle school.
Kasi Spinelli, the mother of the restrained child, sat quietly in the meeting with Samantha Soto, the mother of an eight-year-old boy also in the ACES (Autism Continuum of Educational Support) program. Soto recently learned that her son had also been photographed with a taped mouth. They were accompanied by Dr. Mary Montgomery, an education advocate affiliated with the Montgomery Law Firm who represents both families.
Board President Scott Sarno and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Latwis (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
Dr. Latwis opened the meeting by expressing gratitude to the staff member who reported the incident.
“I’d like to take a second to thank the individual who was not part of that classroom that came forward and brought these allegations to life,” Latwis said. “That takes bravery, courage, and was clearly doing the right thing.”
Board President Scott Sarno echoed Latwis’ sentiments and extended heartfelt concern to the student and her family.
“I want the public to know the incident is still being actively investigated criminally by another local law enforcement agency as we speak,” Sarno stated. He also provided a timeline to demonstrate the board’s swift action in addressing the matter.
The Barnegat Police Chief had previously told this newspaper that his officers and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office found that there was not enough for criminal charges.
The meeting’s public comment section revealed deep-seated concerns about the district’s handling of special education, particularly the ACES program. Parents and community members cited delays in evaluations, lack of transparency, and other issues.
A grandmother criticized the current structure of the ACES program which houses elementary school children with autism in a separate wing of the Brackman Middle School. “I don’t know if it is illegal the way the ACES program is set up, segregating those kids in a different building, but it is certainly not best practice, and it’s not the best for our children,” she said. “Every parent had concerns about the seclusion the children not being housed with their appropriate age level peers and being behind a locked door. Someone told me that these children are referred to as ‘the kids behind the door.’”
Peter DeSarno took to the microphone during public comment. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
A father echoed these concerns, stating, “My son’s not included. He doesn’t have friends, and the biggest fear of my life is him being excluded from everybody.” Sarno apologized to the father, whose voice quivered with emotion.
Matthew Salvatore, a father of three, including a non-verbal autistic son in the ACES program, expressed his heartbreak. “When you hear about what’s been going on, it breaks your heart. It makes you wonder if it happens to your own child, and we’re not told about it, and that’s hard to hear.” He called for greater communication and transparency, advocating for classroom cameras.
Sarno addressed the camera issue, explaining that it is a negotiated item in the teachers’ union contract. “The only way we can do it is by them allowing us to do it,” he said.
According to Sarno, the district will be meeting to discuss the camera issue with union leaders. In an interview, Sarno said a previously scheduled meeting has been rescheduled after the spring break at the request of the Barnegat Education Association.
Parents called for greater inclusivity, more qualified staff, and improved resources for neurodiverse students. One parent said “What message are we sending when we isolate our kids, cut them off from inclusive spaces, underfund their support and keep families in the dark? These are some of the most vulnerable kids in the district. They need more support.”
A consistent theme throughout the meeting did not just rest on the staff members involved in the incident. Many, including former staff members, pointed to poor leadership.
“Look at the administration,” said Peter DeSarno, who said he had to fight for an out of district placement for his son. “Like Gundersen; it’s not just me. His name was mentioned so many times. Please consider systemic problem here, and it starts at the top.”
Jennifer Deleeuw, a former behaviorist in the district, was disturbed by the administration’s handling of the incident, particularly the reference to it as a “joke.” She said she watched as great teacher after great teacher left the district. “Our kids need those staff, the ones that we can trust. This isn’t funny,” said Deleeuw.
Montgomery released a statement on behalf of Spinelli and Soto, saying that “schools should always be safe spaces, especially for vulnerable children who rely fully on adults for protection,” she said. “That need is compounded.”
Approximately 200 people attended the special meeting. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
“We remain committed to holding those responsible accountable, and we demand immediate transparency and cooperation to ensure that these students receive the care and support they urgently require,” Montgomery continued, who said the law firm is still waiting for copies of the photographs.
“Doctors involved urgently need these images to properly assess and treat the students impacted well, and despite repeated requests and our understanding that school staff have already shared these pictures via text messages, the district still has not provided them,” said Montgomery. “I also wanted to say that tonight’s meeting, the thing that really struck me as being an educator for 45 years, referring to these children as ‘the kids behind the door.’”
Latwis promised to provide opportunities for parents to provide feedback on the ACES program.
“We have some work to do, clearly, to rebuild a lot of that trust,” he said.
Sarno announced the creation of an ad hoc committee to work closely with the special education department. “We will actually be working in conjunction, hand in hand with Dr. Latwis and the administration overseeing and working in that department moving forward,” he said. The committee will provide regular reports to the public, ensuring greater transparency.
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