A Kentucky mother says she became so worried about her son’s treatment at school that she concealed a camera in his hair — and what she believes it recorded has left her alarmed.
Tiphanee Lee’s son is autistic and non-verbal. She said her concerns began after the school raised issues about his behavior, prompting her to wonder whether something was happening to him during the day that he couldn’t explain.
Hoping to understand what was going on, Lee decided to gather evidence herself by placing a small camera in her son Semaj’s hair before he went to school.
She later provided the footage to multiple media outlets, saying it shows Semaj in a room with a staff member at the school.
In the video, it is difficult to clearly confirm whether any physical contact took place. However, the footage appears to show the child’s head moving abruptly at one point.
Audio in the clip also captures a staff member saying: “Get off of me now! Get off of me now!” Moments later, additional sounds can be heard, followed by a child screaming.
Speaking at a press conference, Lee described the experience of reviewing the recording as devastating.
“What I discovered on the camera footage is something no parent should ever see or hear,” Lee said during a recent press conference.
“Our child was put in a situation where he was scared, overwhelmed and powerless.”
Lee is now urging authorities to open an investigation into the alleged incident at Field Elementary School.
“I am his voice, and I will speak for him,” Lee said.
“We trusted his school to protect him, to care for him, and to treat him with dignity. Instead, he was harmed, silenced and failed by the very people who were supposed to keep him safe.”
In response to the allegations, a letter was reportedly sent to families with children at the school, according to WLKY.
In the letter, dated May 14, principal Deb Rivera emphasized student safety while acknowledging that the school had received messages from parents and community members about the claims circulating online.
Principal Deb Rivera wrote in the latter dated May 14: “I am reaching out to remind you that the safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. This week, we have received calls and emails from parents and community members, regarding a social media post making allegations about a staff member.”
The principal said the district was reviewing the situation, while noting she could not discuss any personnel-related actions.
The principal added: “While I am unable to comment on actions regarding personnel, I want to assure you that we take these allegations seriously and are reviewing this incident with the district.
“We are following all JCPS policies and procedures to determine what happened and respond appropriately.”
Jefferson County Public Schools has been contacted for comment.