Mom Outraged After School Leaves Special Education Students Out of Yearbook: 'Like They Didn't Exist'

Mariela Azarpira said at least 10 special education students attending Northwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas did not appear in its latest yearbook

A Nevada mom is speaking out after a group of special education students were left out of their school’s yearbook.

Mariela Azarpira said her son Samir was one of at least 10 special education students who did not appear in the latest yearbook for Northwest Career and Technical Academy (NWCTA) in Las Vegas, according to CBS affiliate KLAS-TV and The Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Samir and the others were enrolled in Program Approach to Career Employment, also known as PACE, which is a program for special education students who already received an adjusted high school diploma, per the Review-Journal.

“I got his yearbook, and they’re not even mentioned,” Mariela told KLAS-TV. “It’s like they didn’t exist.”

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Samir was born on the autism spectrum and with a neurological disorder called hydrocephalus, according to the Review-Journal. 

The 22-year-old began attending NWCTA in October 2021, and will complete the PACE program at the end of the summer, per the outlet.

But when it came time to look over the yearbook for Samir’s final year with the school, Mariela was shocked to learn her son and others were not included.

“It’s like for them, they didn’t matter,” Mariela told KLAS-TV. “It wasn’t important for [NWCTA] to recognize them.”

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NWCTA Principal Laura Willis told the Review-Journal that she apologized to Mariela in an email, which Willis sent to the publication.

“It is unfortunate that we failed to represent all that they do and bring to our campus,” Willis wrote. “There are no excuses, just human error. I will ensure that this does not happen in the future.”

Willis also noted that PACE students had not been included in the yearbook in years past, but will be featured in upcoming editions, KLAS-TV reported.

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Willis offered the Azarpiras a refund for the nearly $90 yearbook, but Mariela said she declined the offer, per the reports.

“I don’t want the money back,” Mariela told KLAS-TV. “I want them to include all the children because it’s so important. Because if the school includes them, all of the parents are going to learn.”

The NWCTA and the Clark County School District did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

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