27-05-2025
Del Mar Union sued for alleged abuse of special needs students
DEL MAR, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) is facing a lawsuit over allegations of abuse by staff at one of its schools tied to their use of so-called 'reset rooms' as a form of behavioral management for students enrolled in special needs programs.
The suit, which was filed by a parent on Tuesday, contends that staff at Sage Canyon Elementary School, with the knowledge of the district, routinely mistreated students with behavioral disabilities by placing them in these isolated rooms, in violation of state and federal protections.
These allegations were also the basis of a Title IX investigation into DMUSD launched by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights last year, although the probe was reportedly stalled amid President Trump's efforts to hollow out and eventually dismantle the department.
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According to the new lawsuit, the 'reset rooms' at Sage Canyon were used as a means of behavior adjustment for students enrolled in the district's Social Emotional Learning Foundations (SELF) Program, one of the special education services it offers to families.
As the district describes the program, SELF is aimed at providing students 'therapeutic behavioral and emotional support to access curriculum.'
The parent behind the suit, Genevieve Goldstone, contended in the complaint that her daughter had been secluded in the 'reset room' multiple times a week for months in response to relatively normal outbursts for SELF students — the first time being on her second day in the program.
While in the room, Goldstone's daughter would allegedly be barricaded inside with a makeshift wall, preventing her from leaving on her own. According to the suit, her daughter and other students could be heard screaming and banging on the walls, pleading to be let out.
This caused acute emotional distress in students who endured the treatment, the complaint alleges. In the case of Goldstone's daughter, she was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, allegedly developed as a result of the treatment.
'This isn't a case of a few rogue teachers ignoring legal requirements,' Kimberly Hutchinson, the attorney representing Goldstone, said in a statement. 'This is a case of broken systems, failed leadership, and normalized trauma.'
'Staff seem to have been following what they believed to be standard protocol, which means the district not only allowed but encouraged this treatment. That's unacceptable,' Hutchinson continued.
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Leslie Montoro, executive director of student services for DMUSD, disputed the allegations detailed in the lawsuit in a statement to FOX 5/KUSI. She said, while the district cannot comment on the pending litigation, Goldstone has 'issued many claims in various forums against our District over the years and has not prevailed.'
'I want to stress that the Del Mar Union School District is deeply committed to ensuring a safe, supportive learning environment for all students. To this point, we take any allegation of mistreatment seriously and have robust procedures in place to investigate concerns thoroughly and in accordance with applicable laws,' Montoro said in the statement.
'In the unfortunate situations when families insist on dissention and false allegations, we remain resolute in our commitment to student well-being,' she continued.
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