HEADLINES
Proposed Federal Bill on Seclusion and Restraints Calls for Proactive Effort, Some Say
In a recent piece of pending federal restraint and seclusion
legislation, school transportation has received an exemption concerning how certain student passengers are safely restrained in their school bus seats during their trips to and from school. But, the bill’s definition of restraints could call for public out- reach efforts to educate parents and district personnel on the specific use of child safety restraint systems on school buses. “When the legislation was recently proposed to protect stu-
dents from inappropriate use of physical restraints and seclusion in schools, it was gratifying that the importance of transporta- tion was acknowledged by both the House of Representatives and Senate,” said Linda Bluth, special needs expert and current NAPT president. “Too often, transportation issues are an after thought when educational reform is proposed.” Some transportation directors contacted about the bill were
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quick to point out that they never refer to this type of equipment as a restraint but rather as safety vests. “Anyone referring to them as a harness or restraint is corrected
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immediately by everyone listening,” said Tomas Given, director of transportation for Granite School District in Salt Lake City. “Having an IEP requiring the use of a safety vest for transportation requires the cooperation of the special education department, the transportation department, the driver, the teacher, the as- sistants, and, most importantly, the student.” Many vendors of these particular products also shy away from
using the terms “restraint” or “harness,” according to Bob Rubin of Easy Way Safety Services. “Harnesses are for animals; safety vests are for kids,” he said. But, according to NAPT’s Bluth, the discussion surrounding both
the House bill and a companion bill in the Senate also offers a unique opportunity for special needs professionals in the school transporta- tion industry to contribute to the dialogue on student safety. “It will be important for everyone involved in the conversa-
tion to keep in mind the need to potentially expand professional development, driver training programs, and parent education regarding specialized equipment,” she added. n
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20 School Transportation News Magazine February 2010
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