The "Keeping All Students Safe Act," introduced by Senator Tom Harkin, and Congressman George Miller will protect children nationwide from restraint and seclusion in schools. A Government Accountability Office study found hundreds of cases of alleged abuse and death from restraint and seclusion in school. They included a young teen who hanged himself in a seclusion room while a teacher sat outside, a 7-year-old who was restrained face down and died because she could not breathe, and young children duct-taped to desks or who have suffered broken bones from restraint. Only 16 states today limit the use of restraint to emergencies threatening physical danger. Only 11 states either ban seclusion or limit it to emergencies.
The Autism National Committee is seeking stories from families in Washington state about the use of restraint and seclusion in school. They are specifically interested in the names of any schools that have used restraint or seclusion in the last few years. Please contact Jessica Butler, Congressional Affairs Coordinator, Autism National Committee, email: jessica@jnba.net. If you would prefer to talk by phone, please email Jessica and she will provide her telephone information.
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