It is common for parents to worry when a child returns home from school upset. Parents of children with disabilities, especially nonverbal children or children who have difficulty communicating, experience an extreme form of this worry. Not only are these children unable to tell their parents about their day and why they are upset, they are also more vulnerable to bullying and harassment.
Today, the U.S. First Court of Appeals will hear a case (Pollack v. Regional School Unit 75) that started when a nonverbal boy from Maine came home from school uncharacteristically upset. His parents proposed a solution - they asked their son's school to allow him to wear a recording device throughout the day. When the school said no, citing in part the privacy rights of the other students, the family sued. To date, two hearing officers, one lower court judge and a jury have denied the parents' request. You can read press coverage of the case here.
The First Circuit Court’s decision in this case could have important implications for school students throughout the First Circuit, including Massachusetts.
Is There a Right to Record the School Day of Nonverbal Child?