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An irate mother of a child with special needs was taken into custody after vocally confronting the Jersey City Board of Education during a meeting on Thursday, as captured in a video of the event.
Emily Pecot, the mother in question, was arrested that evening and faced charges of disorderly conduct. Her arrest followed a heated demand by her and other parents for the board to overhaul its special education services and reduce the use of screens in classrooms, according to an initial report by the Jersey City Times.
Footage acquired by The Post reveals Pecot being assisted to her feet by police, handcuffed, and escorted out of the session, all while attendees shouted “shame on you” at the officials.
The video has ignited public ire among parents, who have accused the board of reacting high-handedly to community concerns raised at meetings.
“We intend to conduct a comprehensive review of the events surrounding this incident,” Nathaniel Styer, spokesperson for Mayor James Solomon, informed The Post.
“As leaders elected by the public, the board has a duty to respect the public’s right to express dissatisfaction — even if it is uncomfortable or lengthens the meeting.”
Before she was arrested, Pecot and other parents berated the school board — and criticized their responses to questions regarding online homework.
Pecot was taken down the street, issued a summons and released within an hour.
“Children and families in Jersey City deserve so much better than a school district that arrests mothers for speaking out instead of listening and improving special education,” she told the Jersey City Times.
“Seeing how children with disabilities and their families are treated by this district makes me question the legitimacy of this district and its board. Punishing citizens for speaking out about problems in the district sends a bad message.”
Parents have said complained openly and repeatedly that the district has ignored their concerns, and that board members have been condescending at previous meetings.
“The ongoing issue is Jersey City’s abject failure of really considering and appropriately dealing with our students who have special needs and disabilities,” one mother told The Post Friday.
“And so there have been major concerns with… likely all of the schools and the way in which they’ve been managing children who have special needs,” she added.
Pecot, a frequent face at the school board meetings, and other active parents have been pushing to make changes for years.
“And there is nothing, nothing being done,” the local parent said.
“And parents are being met with a lot of condescension, like coming to them with a lot of anger. And [the board] is upset that parents are raising their concerns.”
The Jersey City Police Department and the Jersey City Board of Education did not respond to The Post’s request for additional information on Friday.