It Started With “Timeout Boxes.” Now There’s an Arrest.
What a new criminal case reveals about isolation practices, and the students most at risk
What began as a controversy months ago is now something more serious, and far more urgent.
This week, a special education teacher in New York’s Salmon River Central School District was arrested and charged with child endangerment after allegations that she confined a nonverbal student in a dark space and physically mistreated the child. The arrest comes just months after the same district was under intense scrutiny for using wooden “timeout boxes”—windowless, padded structures designed to isolate students, including children with disabilities.
At the time, those images sparked outrage. Parents raised concerns, investigations were launched, and the district ultimately acknowledged the boxes had been used as a disciplinary “timeout” method before being dismantled. Officials promised accountability. State regulators found violations. Leadership changes followed.
But now, with a criminal charge filed in the same district—again involving isolation, aga…
