The East Ramapo Central
School District is facing allegations of letting hundreds of students go
unaccounted for during the pandemic.
A protest was held outside
the district offices Tuesday night where parents say the district has failed to
keep track and protect hundreds of students who should be in class - but are
racking up absences instead.
Advocates are demanding the
district ensure every missing student - online and in-person - is accounted
for.
They say one incident got so
bad that an immigrant advocacy group reported a student who missed more than
100 days of school, and was nearly sold into human trafficking and sexually
abused.
They say that's a rare and
unthinkable case, but argue hundreds of other students aren't getting educated
because the district isn't doing more to keep them in class.
The district paints a
different story. It is not commenting on any "missing children," but says there
are nearly 500 students who are chronically absent.
The district's Attendance Task Force
has made hundreds of home visits and calls to these families.
But some claim it's not enough. "We have the extreme of human
trafficking but there's also child abuse or depression. You don't know what's
happening with these kids and if we're not checking up on them then how are
they getting the help they need?" asks advocate Sherly Fabre.
School officials say the
districtwide attendance is up to 85% since returning kids to the classroom.
District officials also say
they are hiring seven new social workers with a focus on diversity to help
address students' needs and get them back to school.