Thanks for all your replies. You're all right about the fact that if we treated our kids this way we'd get them taken away, or if hospitals, and treatment facilities used a restraint in this manner they'd be in big trouble, too. Yet, the school can do it? That's ridiculous. I felt like I had to do something, so I did. I hope that it passes. We only need about two-thirds of the district members to vote yes to pass it. I've posted the whole situation before in these threads: http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11451&am p;KW=serenity http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12062&am p;KW=serenity
OMG THAT IS JUST PLAIN OLD HORRIBLE TO KNOW THAT TEACHERS OUT THERE CAN STILL DO THAT TO KIDS. AND AT THE AGE OF 3. I THINK I WOULD HAVE DIED IF I HEARD THAT THE SCHOOL DID THAT TO MY CHILD. IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL FOR US TO DO THAT TO OUR CHILDREN BUT SCHOOLS CAN DO IT? THAT IS JUST DOWN RIGHT WRONG. WE WOULD HAVE OUR CHILDREN TAKEN OFF OF US IF WE WERE CAUGHT DOING THIS. I HOPE THEY PASS SOMETHING THAT WOULD REGULATE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WHAT A SWEET LITTLE BOY TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO.
What a sad thing to happen to your precious little one. I am a nurse and we couldn' use restraints unless it was a doctor's order. Illegally restraining someone without a doctors order and you could be sued. I am talking about extremely abusive patients that were out of control.. we could medicate but not restraint them in anyway. This sounds so barbaric to do this to this little boy! I think I would be capable of murder if someone did this to my child
Good luck!
Shelley
Wow, I think it is great. I was really affected by it. I so glad you are involved in your state. I hope they listen.Next Tuesday there will be a hearing to propose clear
regulations on how the public school system can legally use seclusion,
and restraints in the state of Kansas. I have written a statement that
will be read at the hearing. As of right now in our state there are no
laws as to how the school can use seclusion, or restraints. There are
only guidelines, which are like suggestions. The school can basically
put your child in a box, all day, not notify you, and it's perfectly
legal to do so. The same goes for any restraints. Most states already
have these regulations in place. Let's hope that Kansas will be one of
those states soon! Here's my statement, let me know what you all think.
Imagine
this. A 3 year old little boy starts preschool. He doesn't know the
rules of sitting during certain times. His attention wanders as he
tries to take in the new enviroment. After two days the teacher, and
the staff decide that he is too much to keep up with, so they put him
in a rifton chair. (a chair that's used for physically disabled people
that has a strap or sometimes several straps, to give them the proper
support to sit upright) He remains in the chair for varying amounts of
time. Often he sits while the other children are playing or doing group
activities. All he can do is sit beside the wall , and watch. He cannot
get up, because he is strapped in this stiff wooden chair. You would
think that he would tell his parents that he didn't want to go to
school anymore. That he'd say something about being stuck in a chair
while the other kids get to run and play, and do fun activities. Or would he?
My name is Shawna , and that very scenario played out for my son Ian
when he started preschool back in November. Ian is autistic, and like
many people with autism he is nonverbal. As much as I'm sure he wanted
to tell me about his experiences at school he could not. Day after day
he sat in a rifton chair. Restrained, and unable to move. If it had not
been for me asking the right questions, and being knowledgeable in
special education I would have never known my son was being treated
this way. The school didn't tell me. Ian obviously couldn't. I wish
that I could say that Ian's situation was an exception. But, sadly I
can't. The reality is that scenarios like Ian's, and many far worse are
happening every day in schools across the state of Kansas. Parents
aren't notified that there child was restrained, or secluded. Even if
we do find out what can be done? To my surprise, I learned that this
kind of treatment is perfectly legal IF you're a public school. Parents
can call an IEP meeting, assuming that they know what's been happening
to their child at school. The staff may decide to write specific
guidelines into the IEP about the use of any restraints, or seclusion.
The staff may not agree to add those things to the IEP. No matter,
because when all is said and done all it takes is one person to judge
any situation as one needed for restraint or seclusion. One teacher, or
one para has the power to deem a student at risk to himself or others,
because as of right now there are no regulations that clearly state the
proper use of seclusion, or restraints. There are vague guidelines that
leave our children unprotected against that one individual who can make
snap judgements about any situation with no real consequence. The
grim stories that you are hearing today aren't about what life is like
for a child with disabilities. It's about the public school system
violating a person's basic human rights. Rights that children with
disabilities have earned, and deserve no matter what their level of
care, or functioning level may be, by just being a human being. Rights
that are granted to them everywhere else, EXCEPT for while they are at
school. The place they spend the majority of their time. This is your
chance to protect these children. To give their dignity back. To give
them the respect that any living person deserves. To let them learn in
an enviroment of compassion, not of fear. Unfortunately, I cannot
be here today to read this myself. As a Stay At Home Mom of three
children (two of which have special needs) I don't have the resources
available to me to go out of town in the middle of the week. That
doesn't mean that I don't have a very strong opinion on the subject of
seclusion, and restraints being used in public schools. I have sent
along a photograph of my son Ian. Please look at it. Does this toddler
look like an imminent danger that needs to be restrained? Obviously,
the adults in his preschool thought so, and I'm afraid that if some
clear common sense regulations are not put in place he can and will be
put into that situation again. Please, don't leave me, and countless
other parents powerless to protect our children. Thank you for listening,
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