School Is Not Supposed to Hurt: Report on the Use of Seclusion & Restraints

Published January 15, 2009 @ 02:00PM PT

Hallway of school with doors by Wrote
An article in the July 2008 New York Times reported that the use of restraints is increasing in public schools in the US and that such restraints are also being used more and more on students in mainstream classrooms.

Restraints such as the basket hold were used frequently on my son Charlie in a public school district (not the one where he currently attends school) and there have been lasting effects on him as a result.

On January 13th on Capitol Hill, the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) unveiled a national report on the use of seclusion and restraint in U.S. schools and called on the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress to introduce a national ban on seclusion and prone restraint practices in schools throughout the US. The report is entitled "School Is Not Supposed to Hurt" and can be accessed here (as a PDF file); this is from a press release issued by the NDRN:

The report is a compilation of cases outlined by NDRN's 57-member network of protection and advocacy (P&As) systems nationwide. The report details deaths and physical and emotional injuries inflicted on students ranging from kindergarten to high school from schools across the country. It also outlines inconsistent state laws, lack of training for teachers and virtually no government oversight or investigation of the issue.

Speakers attending the media briefing include U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), NDRN Executive Director Curt Decker, and families of loved ones who were physically restrained or placed in seclusion while attending schools.

For more information, see the NDRN's contact page and also this video on seclusion and restraints.

Seclusion and restraints are inhumane practices that have been unjustly and unnecessarily used on students, on children, and on children on the autism spectrum in public schools in the US. Such practices have caused permanent harm. It's inconceivable that children, and especially children with disabilities, are being subjected to isolation in timeout rooms---sometimes for hours----and prone restraint in public school in the US; to practices that are, in essence, forms of punishment and, it can be argued, even torture. How could school personnel in Idaho decide to handcuff an 8-year-old Idaho girl, after restraining her?

Photo by Wrote.

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Comments (8)

A former principal on Maui was notorious for using aversives on his students who had behavioral issues, such as pouring Tabasco into their mouths.

Just as well I didn't go to school there. I actaully like Tabasco!

Posted by Mark Romoser on 01/15/2009 @ 04:40PM PT
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We all need to stand up & stop this inhumane practice.

My son is one of the children in the video I created "Restraint & Seclusion". We can all see some of the physical harm but what we cant see is the emotional scars. These children have been forever changed inside.

My son was 7 years old & weighed only 52lbs. He was excelling at grade level expectations in "behavior". He has always been in a mainstream classroom. These children are being restrained for what they are viewing as noncompliance, instead of a manifestation of a disability. The video can't show you the cervical strain, bruised ribs & back he suffered. He couldnt move his head/neck backwards for months. He said his arms were criss crossed across his face & they covered his mouth & nose. He said he couldnt breathe & he stated to fall over. This was done while I was sitting in the front office.

There are countless stories & I am now receiving many many photos. I just received a photo yesterday of a 3 year old who was restrained at school. The school told the parents they dont know what happened.

This must stop, schools need to be held accountable!

Posted by Anna Moore on 01/15/2009 @ 04:40PM PT
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And they need to know that there are other ways---certainly better ways----
A liking for tabasco sauce, Mark Romoser, now that could confuse some!

Posted by Kristina Chew on 01/15/2009 @ 06:16PM PT
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We work with disabled children and their house matrons in giving reflexology. Because of the healing and calming benefits felt by both children and staff, there has been a willingness to learn some of the relaxation techniques and use it whenever one of the children is unsettled. We are told this therapy has yielded positive results and a calmer environment and inspite of the severity of the physical disablement of the children, they love practising their reflexology.

Posted by Jill Fisher on 01/16/2009 @ 12:31AM PT
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When my son was expelled from kindergarten, he was placed in a private "therapeutic day program" paid for the the city. They used holds and seclusion on a daily basis, for any noncompliance. At times he was being "held" 10, 20 or more times per day, often prone, and spent many hours locked in a padded room. We fought even harder to get him out than we had fought to get him in (which of course we had done because we had been told it was a program with expertise--what we weren't told was they were still under the influence of Bettelheim...and did not really "believe in" autism as a disability).
I still believe the 18 months my son spent in this place harmed him.
I learned recently that it has stopped serving the "neglected and abused" population (which was then its real bread and butter) to become a so-called center of excellence in autism. I hope that's a step forward. They will have had a complete change of staff in the 12 years since he was there, in any case...

Posted by Mitzi Waltz on 01/22/2009 @ 04:45PM PT
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Thankfully Reflexology is a very gentle therapy worked on hands, feet or ears and a completely non invasive therapy. The main objective is to promote complete relaxation through the reflexes and so encourage healing. I would suggest googling reflexology to get an understanding of what it is about and getting in touch with your Reflexology Organisation for advice.

Posted by Jill Fisher on 01/22/2009 @ 10:18PM PT
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@Mitzi Waltz,My son still "pretends" to do the basket hold on himself and to have what we call "mock tantrums"-----how is your son now?

You noted that "We fought even harder to get him out than we had fought to get him in" and I've wondered if we might find ourselves faced with something like this, thinking we'd found the right place, but not at all.

Posted by Kristina Chew on 01/23/2009 @ 06:09AM PT
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I worked with children at a special school in a town in South Africa called Kempton Park. We would just leave the Autistic child in a safe spot in the classroom and ensure they did no harm to themselves as they seemed happier if not harassed.

More recently however I qualified as a Therapeutic Reflexologist and know that there is tremendous benefit to be offered to Autistic children through the deep CNS stimulating treatment.

The stimulation to the body caused through working on the feet is that the body provides chemicals to the body which aid in relaxing the child enabling them to remain calmer than they normally would.

I agree with Jill on her comment that the therapy works and would encourage you to find a therapist in your part of the world or purchase a book and try it for yourself.

Some of our therapists have the most amazing results in relaxation working on children in a National burns unit. To the point that the children no longer scream when their wounds are being dressed.

Surely this is a much better way of working with children who are receiving so much stimuli (from noise mainly) and need to stay calm.

Posted by Patricia Brown on 01/31/2009 @ 10:07AM PT
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Kristina is a Classics professor in Jersey City, New Jersey, a blogger (formerly at AutismVox), a translator (of Virgil), and an advocate every day for her son, Charlie.