A New York school district locked Akwesasne Mohawk children with disabilities in boxes. No one got fired.

The Salmon River Central School District in upstate New York admitted in 2025 that special education staff confined disabled elementary students to wooden boxes, known as 'calming stations,' during disciplinary timeouts. The practice, confirmed by the district, involved locking children inside the boxes—some of whom were Mohawk—while the door was held shut, violating state laws against corporal punishment and seclusion. The scandal emerged after a social media post revealed the confinement, which occurred between November and December 2025. Parents, including Sarah Konwahahawi Herne of the Akwesasne Mohawk community, expressed shock, describing the boxes as 'unfathomable' and comparing the treatment to historical abuses in U.S. Native American boarding schools. The district serves a population where roughly two-thirds of students are Mohawk, and several staff involved in the practice were tribal members themselves. New York’s State Education Department launched an investigation, confirming that at least five students with disabilities were subjected to the boxes. In May 2026, the department issued a compliance order prohibiting corporal punishment, aversive interventions, and seclusion in the district. However, the order did not require the dismissal of staff involved, leaving personnel decisions to local control—a decision that frustrated parents like Chrystalynn Jock, whose child attends the St. Regis Mohawk School. Since the scandal broke, the district has undergone staffing changes, including the departure of two interim superintendents and the appointment of Ben Barkley in March. A teacher placed on administrative leave was later arrested by state police on charges of endangering a student, though the connection to the boxes remains unclear. The district hired a permanent special education director to implement mandated reforms, with Barkley vowing full compliance with state regulations. Despite these steps, parents and tribal members remain skeptical, citing the lack of a formal apology and insufficient transparency about the reforms. The incident has reignited discussions about systemic failures in special education and the historical trauma faced by Native American communities. Many question how such practices could persist in a school district with a majority Mohawk student population, where tribal members held key roles in both the school board and staff. The community continues to demand accountability and stronger measures to prevent future abuses.