School Board Member Caught Trashing Father Who Was Advocating for Son with Autism: 'Pain in the Ass' (2025)

After a concerned father advocated for his son at a Massachusetts school board meeting, a hot mic captured a member calling him a “pain in the ass.”

Gaurav Jashnani filed a complaint against the Northampton Public Schools District earlier this year, and spoke at a school board meeting in February on behalf of his son, who has autism and ADHD.

Following his remarks, according to a transcript of the meeting obtained by The Boston Globe, board members complained about his “adversarial tone” and referred to addressing his requests as “going to war.”

Another compared him to a family member who also has an autistic child.

“That guy [is] such a pain in the ass,” they said. “He's mad that the teacher doesn't talk to him in the tone of voice he wants. I'm like, let it go. That is not going to happen.”

Jashnani brought the transcript to another board meeting on March 13, telling the assembled crowd, “This is how our administrators talk about us.”

He accused the board members of “indicating their prejudice toward my possible political affiliations during a meeting about services for my child. One of them… casually admits general and systematic non-compliance with IEPs as a norm in our school district.”

In the transcript — most of which was recorded after Jashnani left the room during the initial meeting — board members casually banter about the lack of resources for students with special needs.

“We have so many, so many families of kids who need so much more, so much more than we give them, and they don't know that they can come in and make a fuss,” one said. "So, yes, this is one of those times that we'll go– apparently, we'll go to war."

Despite the comments made about him, Jashnani repeatedly stated that his biggest concern was the lack of resources for his son and other students.

“I hear students say they are being harmed in this meeting, I hear teachers say they are being literally attacked — there’s not enough staff,” he shared. “I’m a parent telling you this district is failing and harming my child… I expect better.”

Jashnani told the Globe that he asked for an audio recording of the comments made, however, he was told one doesn’t exist. Apparently, the audio and transcript were recorded on different apps, and the audio recording was stopped before the extraneous commentary.

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Jashnani's initial formal complaint was settled last month, and it was found that the Northampton Public Schools District violated his son’s right to a “free and appropriate public education.” The district was ordered to submit a student schedule by April 18 in order to ensure corrective action.

He told the Globe he plans to file a new complaint based on the comments made in the transcript, alleging “systemic noncompliance.”