Special Report: NDRN Investigative Report

School is Not Supposed to Hurt:
Investigative Report on Abusive Restraint and Seclusion in Schools

National Disability Rights Network
January 2009

Full report: http://www.ndrn.org/sr/SR-Report.pdf (60 pages)

Our examination of the current patchwork of laws, regulations, and guidelines is outlined. The findings show that forty-one percent (41%) have no laws, policies, or guidelines concerning restraint or seclusion use in schools; almost ninety percent(0%) still allow prone restraints, and only forty-five percent (45%) require or recommend that schools automatically notify parents or guardians of restraint/seclusion use. Finally, the report proposes recommendations for immediate actions that must be taken by the new Obama Administration, the United States Congress, states and territories, and local schools – if we are to protect our nation’s children.

Even in today’s tumultuous world, all families should be able to expect that their children are safe in their neighborhood schools -- not tied to desks, locked in storage closets, shoved in large dark boxes, or pinned down by adults two and three times their size.

However, P&A programs across the country have reported the use of these shocking and dangerous practices.