Today, nothing in Tennessee’s laws or education rules regulates the use of restraints and seclusion in school settings. As a result, it is possible that a student might be physically restrained or isolated for a long period of time without the family being notified. There are also no limits on the frequency or length of episodes of restraint/seclusion, or training requirements for school staff who use these practices.

Interior of a locked California seclusion room

So what do we mean by “restraint and seclusion?”

Seclusion: the confinement of a student alone in a room from which the student is prevented from leaving, NOT including time-out in a setting from which the student is NOT physically prevented from leaving.

Physical Restraint: the restriction of a student’s movement or action by the use of bodily force by one or more persons.

Mechanical Restraint: the use of a device or object that limits movement, NOT including protective or stabilizing devices as prescribed by a physician.

Chemical restraint: the administration of medication for the purpose of limiting a student’s freedom of movement or action

Fostering Change

A bill to establish guidelines and reporting requirements for restraint and seclusion was introduced in the TN legislature during the 2007 session, HB1186/SB1662. The bill did not pass, but a legislative study group has been set up to review these practices in TN schools.

The Disability Coalition on Education, DCE, is collecting stories and information from families whose children or youth with disabilities have experienced restraint and/or isolation at school.

If your child has been restrained or isolated, please fill out our online survey. If you have more than one child who has experienced restraint or seclusion, please fill out the survey separately for each child.

survey logo

For paper copies of this survey or to be added to the DCE news distribution list, please contact holly lu at hlu1055@comcast.net or you can download the survey in MS Word format. Here it is.

You can fax your survery to DCE at (615) 248-5879 or mail it to the address below:

DCE
c/o The Arc of Tennessee
151 Athens Way, Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37228

 

Even if your family does not have firsthand experience with these practices, please let us know if you will help us make the case for this important bill by contacting your legislators or spreading the word about this campaign.

For any other questions related to this issue please contact holly lu at hlu1055@comcast.net.

Photo: Taken from a California report on restraint and seclusion which can be viewed at: http://www.pai-ca.org/pubs/702301.htm