A rural upstate New York school district is under fire after parents alleged staff used a box-shaped wooden “dog cage” to confine an 8-year-old, nonverbal autistic boy during class—sparking investigations, firings, and threats of legal action.
Rhonda Garrow, a Franklin County mother of four, filed a notice of claim Thursday against the Salmon River Central School District, signaling her intent to sue over what she called a cruel and dehumanizing practice used on her son, identified in court records only as M.J.S.
“I feel betrayed,” Garrow said. “They used his disability against him because he can’t defend himself. The only thing he can do is yell or cry or try to run away—and that’s why they got this box.”
According to the filing, the child transferred to the district’s elementary school on Dec. 12 and was only in his second day of classes when a former school board member went public on Facebook, alleging the district was using wooden enclosures to restrain students.
“This is sick,” wrote former board member Chrissy Jacobs. “This is supposed to be a school for our beloved babies, not a prison with a kid size.”
Jacobs said at least three similar boxes were in use and noted that roughly 60 percent of students in the district are Native American—a community historically subjected to abusive boarding school systems.
Garrow said she initially hoped her son had never been placed inside the box—until someone contacted her privately and said they believed the enclosure was being used on him.
“I was sick to my stomach,” she said. “I was Christmas shopping when I found out. I just paid and went to my car and cried.”
Her attorney, Greg Rinckey, said the allegations were unlike anything he had seen in nearly three decades of legal practice.
“I was an Army JAG,” Rinckey said. “If any commander told me they were going to put a POW in this box, I’d say it violates the Geneva Convention. The idea that this was done to an 8-year-old is outrageous.”
He described the box as appearing crudely built from plywood, more like a makeshift crate than any recognized behavioral or therapeutic device.
School officials initially declined to comment as the story spread online. Days later, School Board President Jason Brockway issued a public apology and announced multiple investigations involving tribal police, state troopers, and the New York State Department of Education.
On Thursday, the district confirmed it had fired the superintendent and appointed an interim replacement.
Garrow said the move came far too late.
“It’s just a Band-Aid,” she said. “It’s enough to make it look like they’re doing something—but it doesn’t fix what happened to my child.”
As investigations continue, Garrow says her goal is not just accountability, but prevention—ensuring no other child is ever placed inside a box in the name of education or control.
