The USA Today highlights the lack of action by states after the Committee's hearing on abusive seclusion and restraint practices and the Secretary of Education's call for action by state school chiefs to submit their plans for using seclusion, restraint and other practices for physical intervention in their schools.
The USA Today says:
UPDATED: Chairman Miller answers more questions about seclusion and restraint practices from the USA Today.
The USA Today says:
Many states still have no rules in place to address how and when school staff can restrain and seclude children, says Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. So he and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., also on the committee, are pushing legislation to set federal rules.We encourage you to read the entire USA Today article and learn more about H.R. 4247, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act.
"Without a federal standard to set the bar, it's the Wild West," Miller says. "We believe the right approach is a balanced one that provides federal guidance to states but still allows states the flexibility to tailor their regulations to their specific needs."
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Since release of the [GAO] findings:
- Nevada and Tennessee passed new laws governing the practices, but while Tennessee's law bans prone restraint, Nevada's doesn't.
- Maine, Michigan, Vermont and Wisconsin all introduced legislation; it was defeated in Maine but is still being considered in the other three states.
- Maryland issued regulations outlining how the practices may be used.
UPDATED: Chairman Miller answers more questions about seclusion and restraint practices from the USA Today.
