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EXPERIENCE SPEAKS TO RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION I agree that with severe students, proper and fully trained
restraint has its place [“Proposed Federal Bill on Seclusion and Restraint Calls for Proactive Effort, Some Say” on page 20 of the February 2010 issue of STN]. Unfortunately, restraint and seclu- sion is being horribly mishandled and abused with children who are no where near as severe at all. Some of them are dead. Yes, I realize the danger to a severe student who must be safely re- strained for his own protection. I have had to restrain my own son because he could not stop smashing his head into the floor. So I really do understand. However, he has grown past this and the school has no need to restrain him. Why? Because he redi- rects successfully. Tere are steps and procedures. Tose who use restraint
should be fully trained and able to do it safely. I have seen cases where a child was smothered to death; a 200-pound man SAT on a child; a child was locked in a janitor’s closet with access to cleaning chemicals. Others have been locked in seclusion for excessive periods (an hour or more) until they even wet them- selves. Tese were not severe autism cases. Restraint is getting used as a punishment, and that has to stop. Instead of trying to STOP this bill, ask them instead to amend
for severe cases. Ask them to differentiate between a “crisis plan” and “IEP,” which should be separate issues to begin with. Tey should also demand that anyone who takes the step of using re- straint be trained for it.
David Wilde, Autism Education Advocate Sheboygan, Wis.
WHAT WE LIKE TO HEAR Keep up the great work you guys do every month!
Danny Evans, Assistant Operations Manager Nalley Trucks, Tucker, Ga.
Do you have a comment on our online or magazine articles that you’d like to share with our editorial staff? E-mail Editor Ryan Gray at
ryan@stnonline.com.
The views and opinions in SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION NEWS are those of the editorial staff. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members of the Editorial Advisory Board or their organizations. Individuals serving on the board are advisors only and are not responsible for the editorial content.
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10 School Transportation News Magazine April 2010
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