JASON SETNYK
AKWESASNE, NY – A wooden “time out box” allegedly used at St. Regis Mohawk School has sparked national outrage, launched multiple investigations, and reignited painful memories of institutional mistreatment for many families in Akwesasne.
Photos of the box, with padded walls, floor mats, and an open top, were posted to Facebook by community member Chrissy Jacobs, who said they were provided by a recently resigned teacher. The images quickly gained traction online and were soon reported by CBC, the New York Times, and The Guardian, drawing international attention to the upstate New York school, located about 30 minutes from Cornwall.
St. Regis Mohawk School serves students from kindergarten to Grade 5 and is part of the Salmon River Central School District (SRCSD). While the district initially denied the box had been used, several Akwesasne parents came forward to say their children recognized the enclosure and recalled being placed inside it.
Thomas Hathaway told CBC his eight-year-old son Connor, who is partially non-verbal and autistic, was confined to the box in his classroom. “He told me angry or sad kids go in there to calm down,” Hathaway said, describing the emotional weight of the discovery. He added he was told the box had been built specifically for a student in Connor’s class.
The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police confirmed the matter is under investigation but declined further comment. At a community meeting and at the school board meeting, several parents said their complaints about their children’s mistreatment had been dismissed or ignored by school officials. In a December 15 statement, the district said it had previously decided not to use the device in question and emphasized that time-outs are permitted only under strict legal guidelines, for safety or with a behavioral intervention plan. But the backlash has continued.
The school board shifted St. Regis Mohawk School to remote learning for the remainder of that week. December 23, Superintendent Dr. Stanley Harper was placed on home assignment and replaced by Acting Superintendent Dale Breault of Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES. Director of Special Education Allen Gravell, Principal Alison Benedict, and teacher Karrie Haverstock were also placed on administrative leave.
Board President Jason Brockway said the district is cooperating with an investigation by the New York State Education Department and has appointed a law firm to conduct an independent review. “It is essential to take deliberate and responsible action while these investigations move forward,” said Brockway.
The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council has strongly condemned the district’s handling of the situation. In a December 17 letter, the Council demanded Harper’s removal, citing “gross mismanagement” and a loss of trust. “This should have never happened,” the letter stated. “Our children deserve better from those in charge of their care.”
Council leaders are calling for full accountability and a copy of the unredacted investigation report. “Everyone involved in the decision to construct and install the inhumane devices, or ‘boxes,’ should be held accountable,” the letter continued.
In a release December 22, the Tribal Council announced a range of trauma-informed support services, including mental health counselling, traditional healing through the HEAL Lodge, and community group sessions scheduled for January. “These events can evoke strong emotions,” the Council wrote, acknowledging the intergenerational trauma within Indigenous communities stemming from residential and day schools. Jacobs echoed that concern. “This triggered a lot of people in our community,” she told CBC. “This isn’t just about one box. It’s about a pattern of not listening to parents and retraumatizing our children.”
The investigations are ongoing, and the district has committed to removing any remaining devices of this nature. Representatives from the New York State Education Department were expected to conduct monitoring site visits that same week.
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