Camacho said three of her children \u2014 two girls who are now 9 and a son who is 7 \u2014 were taught by the same kindergarten teacher who police investigated for suspected misdemeanor child abuse. Two of them are nonverbal and a daughter has echolalia, a condition in which she repeats words others say.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She confirmed to EdSource that her three children were among the victims in complaints reported to police.<\/p>\n
\u201cCameras are so, so important because these children don\u2019t have a voice,\u201d Camacho said. \u201cFrom our experience, putting a child\u2019s safety in the hands of adults\u2019 word of mouth has failed our children.\u201d<\/p>\n
Classroom aides at Highland Elementary School in Visalia told police that the teacher was \u201caggressive\u201d and \u201crough\u201d with students, according to a police report obtained by EdSource. One aide told police she witnessed the teacher kick the chair of Camacho\u2019s son, \u201ccausing him to fall.\u201d The same aide also said she saw the teacher knock a student to the ground by kicking him in the chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another aide told police the teacher would forcefully grab students by the neck or wrist. A third aide told police that the teacher threw a shoe at a student\u2019s face, after saying, \u201cDon\u2019t judge me for what I\u2019m about to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Police opened an investigation into the teacher, Lacie Ann Horsting, 34, in September 2025 after receiving suspected child abuse reports.<\/p>\n
In April, the Tulare County District Attorney\u2019s Office filed 10 misdemeanor charges of child abuse that allegedly occurred during the 2024-25 school year. However, Horsting was ultimately not charged because the one-year statute of limitations for the charges ran out, according to District Attorney spokesperson Stuart Anderson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile this remains an active legal matter, Ms. Horsting was immediately removed from the classroom as soon as the district became aware of the situation, and has not been employed by the district since the 2024-2025 school year,\u201d said district spokesperson Cristina Gutierrez.<\/p>\n
School district officials declined to say whether Horsting resigned or was fired. Her teacher credential remains valid, according to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Efforts to reach Horsting for comment via her attorney were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
Visalia Unified\u2019s school board directed district administrators at a recent meeting to explore adding cameras inside special education classrooms.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre we solving the problem that is being brought to us? Or are there other ways to solve it?\u201d Deputy Superintendent Mark Thompson said in an interview. \u201cThe answer is that I\u2019m not sure yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
In April, four Visalia Unified families with nonverbal children who were taught by Horsting filed notice with the district that they intend to file a civil suit. One of the claims on behalf of a student, identified as A.C., alleges that two aides reported two suspected child abuse incidents to school administrators shortly after they occurred in March 2024, yet the child\u2019s parent wasn\u2019t notified until October 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe District\u2019s silence, combined with A.C.\u2019s communication disability, meant that A.C.\u2019s parent had no reasonable means of discovering the abuse during the period in which it occurred,\u201d the claim stated. The child experienced emotional and psychological harm, including fear of adults, regression in toileting and sleep disturbances, according to the claim.<\/p>\n
California law limits cameras in classrooms<\/p>\n
The issue of cameras has gained traction across the country in recent years from families of students with disabilities, said Chris Roe, a Louisiana-based director of state policy for the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of students in these classes are unable to explain what is happening,\u201d said Roe, the father of two children with learning disabilities. \u201cStudents have come home that have had injuries or marks or signs of trauma that they can\u2019t explain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley Hopwood, whose two daughters spend most of their school day in special education classrooms, authored the Bakersfield petition. She wants state lawmakers to pass legislation to allow cameras in special education classrooms across the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When a paraprofessional raised concerns about a teacher\u2019s suspected mistreatment of one of her daughters, the only instance that could be verified was an incident on the playground where there were cameras.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are cameras throughout the hallways, the playgrounds, the cafeteria, sometimes even offices,\u201d Hopwood said. \u201cWhy not in the classroom?\u201d<\/p>\n
District officials at the Bakersfield City School District say it\u2019s not so simple. Installing cameras in classrooms involves \u201csignificant legal, privacy and labor considerations,\u201d a spokesperson told EdSource. A broad requirement to install cameras in special education classrooms would require action by the state Legislature.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognize that some parents and advocates believe cameras could enhance transparency and student safety in special education classrooms,\u201d said Tabatha Mills, spokesperson for the Bakersfield district. \u201cWe appreciate their advocacy and their commitment to protecting students. However, the district cannot implement such a measure unilaterally.\u201d<\/p>\n
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