SOMERSET — After a long discussion among themselves, parents of special education students, School Superintendent Richard Medeiros and Special Education Director Susan Doe, members of the School Committee last week took no action on a policy related to allowing parents, or their designees, having the right to observe their children in classrooms in the Somerset Public Schools.

Before last week's meeting, members of the Somerset Parents Advisory Council On Education, which represents students with special needs and their parents, complained about the way observations are being handled, saying it would take a long time to schedule such a visit to their son or daughter's classroom and when they would get there, they felt like they were being babysat by staff in the school.

For most of the discussion, the school district in general was talked about, but toward the end of the meeting, School Committee member Donald Rebello said the problem was occurring in one school, although he did not identify that school. The day after the School Committee meeting, on Friday of last week, School Committee member Victor Machado said a good portion of the problems with the observations and with other special education issues have been coming from the Wilbur School.

Mr. Rebello said he has talked to PACE and Mr. Medeiros about the observation policy. He said the policy is of concern to many folks. But Mr. Rebello said he will have renewed confidence in how the observation policy will be implemented. He said the wording of the policy is appropriate. He said a procedure needs to be in place so that it is implemented consistently, efficiently and with accountability. He said when a parent calls a school to schedule an observation, it needs to be addressed in a timely fashion. He said there should be no delays or obstructions to parents.

"We should have nothing to hide in our regular classrooms or in our special education classrooms," Mr. Rebello said.

The observation policy that the School Committee reviewed last week was approved in 2008. The policy says verbal or written requests are to be made to the school principal or designee at least two days before an observation in the classroom. It says the parent or designee shall be given access and of sufficient duration and extent to enable them to evaluate a child's performance in a program. The policy does not specifically address third parties being in the room. It says "the emphasis on the safety, integrity and confidentiality of our program(s) may restrict program observations as determined by the principals." The policy says observations will be conducted to ensure the safety of the students, integrity of the program while under observation and to protect the students in the program from disclosure of confidential and personally identifiable information.

Mr. Medeiros said he did not think the policy needed to be changed, but thought the problem had more to do with procedures that have been used "erratically" in implementing the policy in the schools. He said the policy and state law are very clear about the requirements for observations in classrooms. He said procedures need to be consistent on observations in the town's six schools. He said he would make sure the schools comply with the policy.

In an overwhelming number of cases, Mr. Rebello said he sees no problem with the observation policy. In most cases, he said parents should be able to come into classrooms to observe their children and teacher without a third party, as they have said they have been asked to do. If the observation policy is not followed, he said school personnel can be held accountable in their job performance evaluations and with discipline. Mr. Rebello said he has confidence that the problems with the observation policy will be rectified. He said the issue has become more contentious than most issues in the School Department. He said that Ms. Doe can address the issue on the front line.

Mr. Rebello and School Committee member Victor Machado serve on a newly created subcommittee that will address special education issues.

Mr. Machado said he thinks the observation policy is too vague and he is not pleased with it. He said problems that have happened with observations should never have happened. He said one parent should not be treated differently than others. He said that Mr. Rebello, PACE and himself should work on the observation policy. Mr. Machado said he is not comfortable with the observation policy. Mr. Medeiros said the law is black and white when it comes to classroom observations, but Mr. Machado said the school system has not followed the law and has had cases in court because of it. He said Ms. Doe should be making sure the policy is implemented.

"How can we know that we're not treating people fairly and let it go," Mr. Machado said.

After the discussion of the observation policy, Mr. Rebello said the school administration should know the expectations.

Mr. Rebello said if the policy was approved last week, and there were still problems and inconsistencies, changes could be made to the policy. He said there needs to be an elevated trust that the school administration will implement the policy, according to its word and spirit.

Mr. Machado said he has no faith in the school administration at Wilbur School, special education director and school superintendent and they will have to earn his trust, when it comes to the observation policy at the school.

"The trust has been lost," Mr. Machado said. "I don't have the trust. They're going to have to earn my trust."

Mr. Medeiros said when any visitor comes to the schools, they have to sign in, wear a badge and know where they are going.

School Committee member Elizabeth White said she wants the observation policy to be put in the handbooks at the schools so that it is in writing and easily accessible. She said that the subcommittee should report back to the School Committee on if the observation policy is being implemented consistently and if the procedures are being followed.

School Committee member Jamison Souza said some words should be added to the observation policy, but is confident the administration will follow it. He said he was disappointed the policy was not being followed. He recommended tabling the policy.

Krysten Callina, co-president of PACE, asked Mr. Medeiros about how he defined a contentious relationship with a parent that would necessitate a third party in the classroom. Mr. Medeiros said he did not have a specific example.

Mr. Medeiros said he did not suggest principals were not doing their job with the observation policy. He said there were procedural practices that were not adhered to in the district.

Mr. Rebello said that, in his opinion, all of the principals in the school district except one are implementing the policy in spirit and word. But he said he has been assured there will be conisistency with the policy in that school. He said that has to be spelled out clearly to that principal and said he would not condemn the other principals in the school district. He said if the observation policy and procedures are not adhered to, he will not be a "happy camper."

PACE Co-President Melissa Terra said she appreciated Mr. Medeiros addressing the observation policy issue last week and said she wants to believe he has had a change of heart, but said it took PACE coming to the School Committee to get the issue addressed. She said nothing was done behind the scenes until PACE brought the issue to public meetings of the School Committee. She said if someone makes you change your heart, it doesn't mean you agree with the policy. She said members of PACE coming to the School Committee meeting to discuss the observation policy took time they could have been spending with their children.

"I hope this doesn't keep happening," Ms. Terra said.

Parent Danielle Lambert said she wrote a seven-page letter to Mr. Medeiros about the concerns she had about her son in school and said she received a one line response that said he request for a transfer for her son had been denied. She said she was never invited to the office of Mr. Medeiros to discuss the issues.

"We expect better," Ms. Lambert said. "This is my tax dollars paying his salary."

Mr. Medeiros said he has worked in education for 25 years, and can assure Ms. Lambert her issue will be addressed. He said there was much more to the issue than was in his response to her. He said he did not want to lessen the significance of it. He said what has happened in the school district with the observation policy has been unacceptable and said Ms. Terra should judge him on his actions now and look at each individual case.

"I've invested a great deal of time and effort into the kids in this town and hopefully that will continue," Mr. Medeiros said.

Mr. Machado commended the members of PACE for making the School Committee aware of the classroom observation issue.

"You're the heroes here," Mr. Machado said to the PACE members. "You're doing what parents are supposed to be doing- fighting for your kids."

Mr. Machado said he believes that the staff at the school in question has no other choice but to earn the trust of the PACE members.

Parent Theresa Abrams said she was under the impression that the principals at the schools were following the policy based on the expectations of the administration in the School Department's central office.

Ms. Callina said PACE is suggesting that a compliance officer or other support person assist Ms. Doe with her duties to take some strain off the heavy burden of the administration.

Ms. Callina gave the School Committee an update on what has happened over the past two months since PACE first brought its concerns to the committee. She said PACE had a booth at the Spirit of Somerset Celebration recently where it provided sensory activities for children and information for parents. She said PACE will be more active in parent-teacher organizations this year.

Ms. Callina said the School Committee subcommittee on special education of the School Committee includes members of PACE, the superintendent and special education director. PACE is starting focus groups to discuss how to improve special education in Somerset and Ms. Callina said the school district is supporting those groups with faculty and staff.

She said PACE will have several presentations on special education related topics this year and will have a fundraiser in March with a spokesman for autism awareness.