Be sure to read Pete and Pam Wright's e-newsletter this week on the topic of restraints and seclusion in IEPs. Go to www.wrightslaw.com
Their lead paragraph is "To help protect all schoolchildren, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act prohibits the use of restraint and seclusion unless there is an imminent risk of physical injury that less restrictive interventions would not stop."
They urge special attention right away, because the American Association of School Administrators and other organizations are trying to water down the Act. Letters and phone calls from concerned parents of special education students are needed right now.
No one wants a school staff member or other student harmed, if a child (any child) has a meltdown at school and needs to be restrained.
But staff can't "jump the gun" and apply excessive means just because they "think" a meltdown is about to occur.
Read www.wrightslaw.com (you may need to search for "restraint" or "seclusion") and call or write to your elected representative. Tell him or her what you want and what you don't want. Ask how that rep will vote. Don't settle for "s/he will look into it." Ask for a response.
Then check to see how your rep voted, when it was time to vote. And remember that when you vote on November 2.
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1 comment:
Thank you for posting this. My son's IEP meeting is next week. We had one meltdown earlier this year. I *think* it was handled well, but maybe this is something I need to talk about at the meeting.
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