Student Safety: Banning Seclusion and Dangerous Restraints in Schools
This Act establishes a nationwide prohibition on seclusion, chemical, and mechanical restraints, and dangerous physical restraints in schools and educational programs. It aims to protect students from harmful practices while setting strict conditions for permissible physical restraint in immediate emergency situations. Parents gain rights to immediate information about incidents and legal recourse in case of violations, increasing safety and transparency in educational settings.
Key points
**Prohibition of Seclusion and Dangerous Restraints:** Schools and federally funded educational programs are prohibited from using seclusion, chemical, mechanical, or life-threatening physical restraints (e.g., restricting breathing or blood flow).
**Strict Rules for Physical Restraint:** Physical restraint is only allowed in cases of imminent danger of serious physical injury, when less restrictive interventions have failed, and must be applied by trained staff, using minimal force, and ending immediately when the danger ceases.
**Parental Rights and School Accountability:** Parents must be immediately notified of any physical restraint incident, and schools are required to meet with parents to discuss the situation and plan preventative measures. Parents can pursue legal action for violations, and schools may lose federal funding.
**Support for Schools and Monitoring:** The Act provides federal grants to states for staff training, improving school climate through positive behavioral interventions, and collecting and analyzing data on restraint use, aiming to reduce their application.
Introduced
Citizen Poll