BARNEGAT, NJ – April 5, 2025 – A troubling incident in a special education classroom has sparked an internal investigation within the Barnegat Township School District, leading to the administrative leave of five staff members.
The event, reported by a staff member not assigned to the program, has raised serious concerns about student safety and staff conduct in the district’s specialized Autism Continuum of Educational Support (ACES) program.
Superintendent Dr. Brian Latwis addressed the situation in a letter to families on April 3, detailing the district’s swift response.
“We immediately placed on leave one teacher and four support staff members who appeared to be involved and/or had knowledge of the incident, which involved a student at the Russell O. Brackman Middle School,” Latwis wrote.
The incident reportedly occurred on Friday, March 28, and was brought to the administration’s attention the following Monday, March 31.
Within minutes of the report, administrators began interviewing staff, and by the end of the process, all implicated individuals were placed on leave, including those unavailable for immediate questioning.
The ACES program, housed at Brackman Middle School, serves students in grades K-8 diagnosed with severe forms of autism.
It offers a comprehensive range of services, including speech, occupational, and physical therapy, as well as behavioral support, all within a secure environment featuring key-fob access doors.
While specific details of the incident remain undisclosed due to personnel and privacy considerations, Latwis emphasized the district’s commitment to accountability.
The mother of the young victim claims her young daughter, diagnosed with autism, had her hands and mouth bound by tape.
“I want to make this clear: Barnegat Township School District does not condone the kind of behavior under investigation,” he stated. “We take the health and safety of each child personally, and we take incidents that pose a risk to that priority extremely seriously.”
In response to the incident, the district has scheduled a special Board of Education meeting for April 9 at 6 p.m. at Barnegat High School. This meeting, compliant with New Jersey’s Sunshine Law, will allow public comment before board members enter a private executive session to discuss personnel matters. Board member Bruno Iamonte, a retired educator and chair of the Health, Safety, & Technology Committee, expressed dismay over the situation. “Something like this is just absolutely unacceptable,” he said. “As a board, we’ll be looking at every aspect of the program that led up to this point.”
The incident has also drawn attention to the ACES program’s structure, which emphasizes integration with general education peers through “buddy classrooms” and includes a sensory room for student support. Superintendent Latwis noted that the program’s design allows for flexibility in staffing, enabling paraprofessionals to move between classrooms as needed. However, this incident has prompted the district to accelerate plans for parent roundtables originally scheduled for the summer. “We want to hear directly from families – what’s working, what’s not,” Latwis said. “If changes need to be made, we’re not afraid to make them.”
As the investigation unfolds, the district has notified partner agencies to ensure a thorough review. Parents and community members await further updates, with many expressing hope that the outcome will reinforce the district’s commitment to its most vulnerable students. The Board of Education’s actions following the April 9 meeting will likely shape the next steps in addressing this “egregious” incident, as described by district officials.