NEWBURYPORT — A Newburyport father told the school committee during its Jan. 14, 2026 meeting that his daughter has had “no school placement” and “no education at all” from Newburyport Public Schools since June 2022.
After the meeting was called to order, Vice Chair Juliet Walker opened the first agenda item—public comment—by noting that one speaker had signed up and reminding attendees to keep remarks within the committee’s scope of authority and remain civil. Walker also emphasized that public comment was not an opportunity for discussion and speakers would not receive a response at that time, adding that commenters would have two minutes at the podium and longer comments could be emailed to the committee.
Walker then called the speaker to the podium, and the father—Bill Joor of Jackson Street—began by telling the committee, “My daughter has had no school placement, no education at all from Newburyport Public Schools since June of 2022,” Joor told the committee.
Joor said his daughter has had “no placement” because she was “being hurt” at her last school, claiming records showed the district was aware of it. “We as her parents stepped in to bring her back to health,” he said. “You did nothing and have chosen to do nothing since.”
Joor accused officials of remaining silent despite what he said were clear recommendations for a non-residential option.
“Some officials have offered sympathy, meaningless,” Joor said. “When elected officials stay silent, they endorse the administration’s refusal to educate our daughter despite clear recommendations for a day placement only, from her IEP [Individualized Education Program] team as well as medical professionals.”
Joor also alleged the district was spending heavily on legal representation while, he said, his daughter still had no access to schooling.
“You have three law firms and six attorneys to fight our family while Nina receives no education whatsoever,” he said. “You have stated that quote, ‘You are not obligated to provide Nina with an education.'”
Joor said the family was presented with only two outcomes — a residential placement or no education — and claimed that pressure could force his child out of the community.
“You have left her with two unacceptable options, a more restrictive, not recommended, extremely expensive residential placement far from home or no education at all,” Joor said, adding, “We feel bullied into a residential placement which can cost the district over $250,000 a year, removing our daughter from her home and community. Imagine being told your child must leave home just to receive an education. And, once again, during budget season, we hear the same old excuse. You’re getting hammered by transportation and special education tuition increases. Maybe so, but that’s a problem you created.”
Joor accused the school committee of cutting in-district special education services for years and calling it “savings,” while relying instead on costly residential placements.
“Costs rise when you refuse to invest in your own programs and rely on unnecessary and costly residential placements and abandon your students,” Joor added.
He closed by saying other students have continued progressing through the school system and graduating while his daughter remains at home “waiting for an education.”
“Bottom line, other students, including some of your children, have been allowed to progress from grade to grade and even graduating this year, while my daughter sits at home waiting for an education,” Joor said.
After Joor’s remarks, the committee moved on to other agenda items.
