Gloucester parents demand answers after 5-year-old with autism was isolated in quiet room at school

A family is demanding answers from the Gloucester, Massachusetts school district, after learning their five-year-old son was left alone in what's called a quiet room for nearly half an hour while a staff member allegedly held the door shut.

Olivia, who did not want her last name used for this story, said her son Jojo is a happy and curious little boy. He spent years in foster care before the family adopted him.

"For everything that he has gone through, he is the most resilient little guy that we feel really lucky to have," she told WBZ-TV's I-Team.

Jojo is living with autism and has multiple disabilities. Despite his challenges, his parents said he was excited to start kindergarten last fall at the West Parish School in Gloucester.

Knowing he needed support, the couple asked for a one-on-one aide. Olivia said they were turned down by the district multiple times.

"Ultimately the school placed our five-year-old inside a room," she said. "A room with a shut door and prevented him from being able to leave."

Student put in quiet room at school

Photos of the room at the school show it's tiny with a glass pane window. The quiet room, or what some schools call a "time-out" room, has no window to the outside.

On February 9, Jojo's parents said staff members forcibly put him in the room and held the door closed for nearly 30 minutes.

"The video of it clearly shows a physical restraint that occurred. No child should have that happen, but especially a child with cortical vision impairment," she said.

Jojo's dad, Scott, described it as a tough day when he actually saw the room.

"No comfort items, no furniture. It's just an empty room," he said. "Essentially a closet converted to the quiet room."

Records show that this was not the only time Jojo was put in isolation. In some of those cases, his parents said he was denied access to his glasses.

Dr. Ellen Braaten is a child psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program. She said putting children in quiet rooms is "absolutely cruel."

"The rooms themselves are completely inappropriate, unless a child is at significant danger to himself, immediate significant danger to himself or someone else. And it should only be for the shortest period of time until the child has calmed down," she said.

Jojo's family said they had no idea the school was putting him in the quiet room or why, until they got the records. School notes show at times, Jojo left the classroom without permission, threw things and tried to hit a classmate.

"You trust the school to take care of your child, especially given disabilities. It's been heartbreaking," his mother said.

"I think it's horrifying," said the family's attorney, Collins Fay-Martin. "I think any parent that thinks about their child being placed in literally a closet, would be horrified to know that their child was being not only placed in a closet, but the district is intentionally not telling them. DESE is intentionally allowing districts not to have to tell parents."

New time-out regulations 

There is no law that requires districts to tell parents when students are put in quiet rooms.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) said new regulations involving the use of time-out go into effect in August 2026. The department said the rooms can be used for behavioral support, but seclusion is prohibited, unless it's an emergency.

"The new regulations related to time-out practices outline appropriate behavioral supports that should be in place for all students," the agency said in a statement. "The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is working diligently with districts to help them create inclusive, accessible, safe and welcoming school environments for all students."

"There's nothing about this kind of being solitary confinement as a student that is helpful in bringing down those behaviors that you don't want to see. There's really no data that shows that they should be used at all," said Dr. Braaten.

Statement from Gloucester superintendent

The Gloucester public school department refused the I-Team's request for an interview. Superintendent Ben Lummis sent this statement:

"We take very seriously the appropriate use of time-out and physical restraint as a last resort when other de-escalation strategies have been unsuccessful. 

Our staff are trained to adhere to state law in using these protocols. While privacy laws prevent me from discussing the specifics of any individual student, the school district is thoroughly addressing the concern, including an internal investigation. 

We are committed to ensuring the safety of all students and have been working closely with the family throughout the school year to support their child's education. We will continue to do so. We take very seriously the appropriate use of time-out and physical restraint as a last resort when other de-escalation strategies have been unsuccessful."

Jojo is now at home on medical leave. His parents filed a complaint with DESE and are demanding answers.

"We're not seeking blame. We just really want a full review of what occurred to help prevent this occurring again and because it's not just about our child but it's about so many other children," his mother said.

A DESE spokesperson told the I-Team it does not confirm or comment on open investigations. The family has a meeting scheduled with the town for Thursday to discuss an out of district placement for Jojo.