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mrsjerome
05-20-2009, 01:11 PM
Seclusions and Restraints
Selected Cases of Death and Abuse At Public and Private Schools and Treatment Centers

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-719T

High lights page Full Report and accessible Text available by clicking on to the available documents located on the top of this website.

What has been going on is just inexcusable. Can’t believe this is happening in this day and age. These reports where submitted to the GAO Committee asking for Federal legislation creating a uniform code and outlaw of these restraints plus a system that will educate our teachers in the handling of these children. These kids have enough problems the way it is without traumatizing and in some cases causing their deaths. We need to implement a stop to these tactics. It is way overdue. We place children in our schools to learn the best they can and not be subject to the torture that some of them have had to endure. These where the restraints used in the institutions back in the dark ages. There should be no place for them in our schools.
These are documented reports. This may be just the tip of the iceberg as many cases are not followed up on for documentation. This meeting was televised on Cspan yesterday. From what I heard and saw this is a problem that is not lessening but growing. The only recourse for some of these parents is to get an attorney and sue the school district.
One case the boy in Texas was actually smothered and the death ruled a homicide. The teacher was put on the Texas abuse registry. Somehow her name was taken off ( no one knows why) She moved to Virginia and is employed as a special ed teacher in that state. With the diligence of the special investigator of course she is now put on leave till an outcome of the allegations is reached. The lady that lost her foster son summed it up this way why isn’t there some national registry that these teachers can be placed on so they are not allowed to cross state lines and find employment in another state. Was told that with the disappearance of her name from the Texas registry another state would not have been able to check it out.
If parents would have treated their kids the ways these kids were treated they would be in jail for child abuse and in cases murder. A lot of these cases where not teachers defending themselves or students either. But a means of discipline?? Give me a break!!
Our animals have better protections put in place than these kids do.

Kristen (ColeysMom)
05-20-2009, 01:28 PM
Am I wrong to be wondering where the recommendations are? Or is this the reason the report was ordered...as back-up to make recommendations in congress? Or it that a fantasy?

I'm confused!

Disgusted, not surprised, and confused.

I'm just hoping this administration is as APPAULED as they should be and immediately takes drastic action!

mrsjerome
05-20-2009, 02:08 PM
Kristen
I believe because this has become so wide spread that the Federal Govt needs to step in and do the job that the states are not doing. I saw this on TV yesterday. Like you and myself everyone on that committee was appalled. Currently there are no uniform laws governing restraints and isolation rooms in the schools. Every state has their own and some none on the laws regarding it’s use. If you click on to the full text on the top of the website ( the text can be increased in reviewing this report) the states are listed toward the end of the documents and you can take a look at what their rules or lack of laws say on using these restraints. At present there are no laws against this in some states and others will show some degree of use. There was talk of this that I heard as one of the reasons for the abuse that schools districts can get away with whatever course of action they choose.
Some teachers are afraid to come forward to report and substantiate these abuses with fear of retaliation from the administrations of their school districts
What I think is needed to be recommended is a federal uniform law outlawing the use of these isolation rooms and restraints to be adhered to by all the states. These kids do not need this kind of torture. Teachers need to be trained in how to deal in behavioral situations without the resort to these measures that some are using now. These restraints and isolation rooms do not work. They cause by far more harm and trauma to a child with already special problems.
This is what is and should be done. Legislation on the federal level as some of our states and school districts just don’t get it. I think this is why this has been brought before this federal committee.
When we have abuse on such a wide scale definitely something needs to be done. No longer are we looking at isolated cases but cases increasing in size each year.

Kristen (ColeysMom)
05-20-2009, 02:21 PM
Ageed!

You know the first question raised will be: What's the alternative? And what are the school's capable of managing.

My fear is that the answer will be to call the authorities when behavior becomes more than the teaching staff can (or even should be able to) handle.

I hope, and pray, that someone has the forthought to understand how calling the police in situations like this can be worse (with the exception of the cases where injury or death occured of course).

I don't know what the answer is. What the best alternative is...I guess it would be to call the parents for pick-up...but my guess is that there are a good number of parents that cannot handle the kids (in these behavioral states) any better than the schools...so what's the answer there? Call for an ambulance?

Don't get me worng here...I'm in no way advocating this horrendous treatment...I can just see that the light at the end of the tunnel here, may just be an oncoming train. :(

peglem
05-20-2009, 02:29 PM
The report was presented at the congressional hearing on restraint and seclusion in public and private schools, which I linked on another thread before I saw this one.