Not on the Fence About Restraints

by Kristina Chew · 2009-06-01 14:11:00 UTC
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Chain link fence from https://summitfencesupply.com/siteadmin/images/products/chainlink2/Black-Chain-Link-Fence.jpg
Jim and I are big supporters of public education. We've had experience in schools both public and private (Catholic for him, "independent" for me). Public education, and the legislation supporting the rights of individuals with disabilities to it---IDEA---have been fundamental to Charlie's learning and life. We know that, just a short while ago, the public schools would not have been able to provide him with an appropriate education in our community.

So it's pretty painful to hear about what's going on in public schools around the country, and in particular what's going on in the "educating" of some students with disabilities. Yesterday's Arizona Daily Star talked about a high school student with disabilities who was "routinely restrained...... against a fence with his backpack so he would not fall over or wander off" and calls for "explicit rules" when children are restrained in the public schools. Arizona is one of 18 states that have "no regulations or statutes governing restaining or secluding a child in school"---a hearing was recently held by the Education and Labor Committee about the use of restraints and seclusion.

The Sabino High School student is described as "strapped" and "hooked" to the fence by his backpack "until someone could fetch him"; this had been going on "for most of the school year," until March, when a teacher said that this was "highly inappropriate."

"Highly inappropriate?" That's the understatement of the year.

Kristina Chew
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