In response to the events that took place at Westlake Elementary School in Wayne Township on Monday, February 4, 2013, where an 8 year old girl with Down syndrome came home from school with her legs duct-taped as a form of disciplinary action, it leaves many families that have a loved one with Down syndrome or special needs wondering how this could still be happening. Down syndrome Indiana, affirms the right of ALL children with Down syndrome to be treated with dignity and respect in ALL Indiana schools and the inappropriate use of seclusion and restraints in schools needs to end!
According to the Arc of Indiana, currently, schools in Indiana are not required to have a policy regarding the use of seclusion and restraints in their school. Procedures designed to reduce inappropriate behavior should never stigmatize, humiliate, or call unnecessary attention to an individual’s disability. In addition, the presence of a disability does not confer license for treatment that is disrespectful, dehumanizing or harmful. If an intervention would be unacceptable for use with students without disabilities, it cannot justify its use with students with disabilities.
Indiana is one of only 19 states with a law protecting students from the use and misuse of seclusion and restraints in some situations, such as, long term care facilities and people in our state prisons and even kids in juvenile justice centers, but nothing in statute for our students in schools. It is time that Indiana treats our students with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Please Take Action Now!
Indiana Senate Bill 345 (SB 345) requires local school boards to approve policies on the use of seclusion and restraints in schools. The policy must outline training for appropriate school personnel on the use of seclusion and restraints when an imminent danger is present, outline a protocol for parental notification when seclusion and restraint is used, use standard definitions for common seclusion and restraint measures and puts for the intent that all students should be treated with dignity and respect in schools.
SB 345 was heard in the Senate Education Committee last week and will receive a vote in that committee on Wednesday, February 13th. Contact members of the Senate Education Committee and request their support of SB 345. Please do this today while it is on your mind and you are fired up about it!
Here is the list of Senators on the Education Committee:
Senator Dennis Kruse s14@iga.in.gov
Senator Earline Rogers s3@in.gov
Senator Carlin Yoder s12@in.gov
Senator Jim Banks Jim@JimBanks.us or s17@in.gov
Senator John Broden s10@iga.in.gov
Senator James Buck s21@in.gov
Senator Luke Kenley s20@in.gov
-Senator Jean Leising s42@in.gov
Senator Pete Miller sen.petemiller@iga.in.gov
Senator Frank Mrvan s1@in.gov
Senator Scott Schneider s30@in.gov
Senator Greg Taylor s33@in.gov
“We hear all too often of horrible incidents regarding the use of seclusion and restraints when used as a disciplinary measure, used without proper training and used as a first recourse.” Says Kim Dodson of the Arc of Indiana in a recent legislative alert on this topic.
Please do not let this happen to one more child in our state. Take positive action today!
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