– From Jessica Butler, Congressional Affairs Coordinator, Autism National Committee
Would your organization like to sign-on to a letter in support of the Keeping All Students Safe Act, the Congressional bill to protect all American schoolchildren from dangerous restraint and seclusion?
- Restraint and seclusion kill and injure students
- GAO documented 20 deaths
- Restraint and seclusion are disproportionately used upon students with disabilities and minority students
- Fewer than 1/3 of states have laws limiting their use to emergencies threatening physical danger
- 33 states lack laws requiring that parents of all children be told of their use
Congressman George Miller plans to reintroduce the Keeping All Students Safe Act this session in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Last year, over 220 National, State, and Local organizations asked Congress to “Protect Schoolchildren from Dangerous Restraint & Seclusion and Pass the Keeping All Students Safe Act.”
Last year, the support letter with 220 national, state, and local organizations’ signatures was featured in Disability Scoop (http://bit.ly/DScooRSGr)
Now is the time for your organization to sign-on (again)!
The letter is limited to National, State, and Local organizations (not individuals). Those signing on need to be able to sign for their organization.
Please contact Jessica if you would like to remain on the letter OR sign-on to the letter for the first time. Deadline: Wednesday, April 17, 2013.
Please feel free to share the letter with others whom you believe would like to sign on.
https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/secl.restrnt.letter2013.draft.doc
Jessica Butler
jessica@jnba.net
Congressional Affairs Coordinator
Autism National Committee (AutCom)
22 years of advocating for children and adults with autism
More Information about Restraint and Seclusion
This is more important than many may think. Often children are secluded (removed from their regular class room) with no notice. Restraint may be used for noncompliance even if there is no safety issue involved. “Time out rooms” may be used for punishment. This act requires notification to parents, defines restraint, time out rooms and seclusion. That gives parents tools to be sure their child is not treated inappropriately. So write that letter or make that call!