Following a groundbreaking investigation by Hearst Newspapers, lawmakers are directing attention to the revelation of restraints and seclusion being used on students in schools.
They’re looking into creating new state laws as well as pushing for federal standards that would increase training and offer more mental health resources.
There are five lawmakers in the state of New York looking to work on laws that can prevent misusing restraints and seclusion in schools. One of these lawmakers is the Senate’s Education Committee Chair, according to the Times Union.
A Republican candidate running for governor in Connecticut has vowed to give more resources toward the issue if they’re elected.
Congress is also giving its attention to the issue. They’re looking to get solutions passed that limit the use of physical restraints in schools throughout the nation. In addition they want to give better mental and behavioral resources to schools and strengthen the reporting of these cases.
The investigation found that thousands of students are restrained in schools everyday and most of them are children with disabilities. Many times parents are even notified of a restraint happening.
Data shows injuries have occurred thousands of times for both students and staff involved in a restraint. 85 people 21 and under have died from being restrained since the 1980s. Most importantly, students suffer trauma from these restraints.
There are no federal laws regulating how restraints should work. Some states don’t have laws covering the issue at all.
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