Overview
- Images of a wooden enclosure in an elementary classroom prompted an independent law‑firm investigation authorized by the Salmon River board.
- Three boxes were installed across two schools, the superintendent acknowledged; the district says they have been removed.
- Superintendent Stanley Harper was reassigned to home duties, and the special‑education director, a principal, and a teacher were placed on administrative leave.
- New York’s education department ordered monitoring and follow‑up site visits, while Gov. Kathy Hochul called the allegations alarming.
- Parents dispute district claims that no students were confined, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police opened an inquiry, and classes briefly shifted to remote for safety.