Parents of children with special needs in Central Valley are advocating for a California law that would mandate the installation of cameras in special education classrooms, following reports of alleged abuse by teachers.
There’s a growing support for this initiative, as online petitions have gathered over 12,800 signatures in the Bakersfield City School District and more than 2,700 in the Visalia Unified School District.
Brittney Camacho, a mother of three, expressed her shock, saying, “I would never have assumed that was happening at the school.” Her worries escalated when the Visalia police contacted her in September 2025, revealing that her children might have suffered physical abuse from their teacher.
The police launched an investigation into 34-year-old Lacie Ann Horsting, the kindergarten teacher responsible for Camacho’s children, based on reports of child abuse from the 2024-2025 school year.
In April, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office filed ten misdemeanor child abuse charges against Horsting, but unfortunately, the case was dismissed due to the expiration of the one-year statute of limitations.
Camacho’s children, including two nine-year-old daughters—one of whom has echolalia—and a seven-year-old son, were among those listed in the police complaints.
“Cameras are so, so important because these children don’t have a voice. From our experience, putting a child’s safety in the hands of adults’ word of mouth has failed our children,” she explained to the news outlet.
Ashley Hopwood, another parent of non-verbal children with special needs, started the online petition for cameras in Bakersfield special education classrooms. She shared concerns that many parents worry about their children’s well-being in their absence, especially as reports of abuse of children with special needs continue to emerge.
“Without proper monitoring, children who are already vulnerable due to their disabilities are at a heightened risk for neglect or abuse,” she stressed. She also pointed out that cameras could serve an educational purpose, helping educators adjust their teaching strategies to fit each child’s unique needs.
For cameras to be installed in special education classrooms across the state, a legislative change is required. A 1976 California law prohibits recording devices in classrooms without the consent of the teachers and principals, which has been noted by the Bakersfield City School District as an existing barrier.
The California Teachers Association (CTA) has previously referenced this law to contest mandatory live online instruction during remote learning. However, CTA board member Angela Normand stated that the union currently lacks an official stance on the issue of cameras in special education classrooms.
