An Enfield resident and member of the Enfield Chapter of Standing up for Racial Justice raised concerns about state 2022-23 school year data, that points to a disproportionate number of students of color and students with disabilities being arrested or suspended from school in Enfield.
She voiced the concerns at the April 15 town council meeting, and the mayor's response quickly drew backlash.
“I was really, really concerned and deeply upset. I think it’s something really hard to hear as a parent, especially of a child with special needs,” said Danielle Girard, a parent in the Enfield school district.
The comment in reference came from the mayor following the public comment period where he said, “I don’t care if they are white, Black, green or orange, if they are threatening harm to another student in school, they deserve to be suspended."
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He continued, "That falls for special needs, too. Unfortunately special needs has gotten so out of control in this country, any child that needed a spanking at 2 years old, when he’s 16 and doesn’t want to listen, he’s special needs now.”
The comments were quickly subject to backlash online from parents and community members like Girard.
“I think it’s all about education, and being completely, I hate to say it, but ignorant when it comes to a situation like this because if you don’t know what the process is or how it works, it’s very frustrating,” Girard said.
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Mayor Ken Nelson Jr. responded to the backlash via a statement that read:
"My comments were solely based on the accusations presented at the council meeting by a member of the public that our Board of Education and police department are targeting certain groups, and classes of people with the arrests that have happened in the Enfield school system. She has no documentation to back up her comments. My comment was addressing the arrests and arrests only, I do not care if you’re Black, white, green or orange, or special needs. If you threaten harm or harm another student or staff member, you should be arrested. I do not deny saying special needs is out of control in the Town of Enfield as the BOE has just stated that 50% of our students are classified special needs."
In a follow-up statement, he clarified that 25% are subject to a special education designation. He goes on to say:
"I find it unrealistic that students who are on free or reduced lunch are grouped in with children that truly have special needs. I think we are diminishing the definition of special needs and the parents of the children who actually need services are pushed aside or have to fight for what their children need. The students in Enfield should not have to be in fear of other students. If someone can produce data that shows that a certain group is truly being targeted, I will be the first in line to address and correct this, but until someone produces those statistics, it is just an unfounded accusation. At this point, I stand behind our Board of Education and police department, 100%."
Girard said she had a chance to speak with the mayor Wednesday to hear his concerns and to express hers. She asserted any sort of "special need" designation, like an IEP designation she has worked years on obtaining for her daughter, are not easy to get.
She hopes the mayor considers the harm his comments can do when in a public forum, going forward.
“I just hope that the decisions that he makes, and the comments that he makes, going forward, he really thinks about them because it is really impacting how the town is looking at him,” Girard said.
In a statement issued Thursday night, Enfield Democrats said the mayor's comments were "dangerously inappropriate and hurtful."
NBC Connecticut has reached out to the organization the woman from the public meeting represented, but we have not heard back.
The Enfield school district has also been contacted regarding accusations, but again, we have not heard back.
