DIGHTON, Mass. — Community members and parents are demanding answers and immediate safety overhauls after a 5-year-old special needs student slipped away from recess at Dighton Elementary School and was later found wandering alone on a busy street.
According to reporting by WHDH 7News, the young boy left the unenclosed playground undetected last week before police located him.
The incident has sparked sharp criticism from parents over staffing shortages and a lack of secure infrastructure. Michelle Swartz, a parent in the same special needs program, voiced deep frustration to WHDH 7News:
“The playground isn’t enclosed. And it has also been a concern that there are staffing shortages. So there’s not enough staff for the students to keep them protected… You send your child into school expecting them to learn, most of all be safe, and the system failed us.”
In response to the outcry, Dighton-Rehoboth Schools Superintendent Bill Runey addressed the community at a School Committee meeting, offering a direct apology to the child’s family and detailing corrective actions. The district has launched an independent outside investigation, self-reported the incident to the Department of Children and Families, and initiated several rapid safety upgrades.
Planned and ongoing safety enhancements include:
- New Fencing: The installation of higher playground fencing designed to deter and prevent children from leaving the area, slated for completion this week.
- Staffing and Supervision Review: Re-establishing stricter supervision protocols, reviewing staff assignments, and directing the principal to evaluate service needs.
- Increased Personnel: Bringing in additional lunch and recess monitors, alongside active recruitment for more paraprofessionals and Registered Behavior Technicians.
While school officials have emphasized accountability and swift changes, parents maintain that systemic vulnerabilities should have been addressed long before a child was put in harm’s way.
