Dare I hope? It ends restraint in public schools and gives guidelines limiting the use of seclusion rooms. Ange is currently in Washington, advocating. BIG hats off to her, because what she's doing is so important. I got the link to the legislation from her blog and want to pass the word on to you.
Will you pray? Will you call your senator when this gets up for a vote? This is big stuff, folks.
And dare I say it? The Obama administration is taking some steps we never saw under Bush. And Senator Dodd of CT, big thanks to him as well. I very much wish that we had some more conservative folks who would "get" that abuse in school is not ok.
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Look Out, Dad!!
My father is the purple dot above the blue weather station. He's juuust outside Milton's evacuation zone. Well! My brother and I jus...
This is important legislation. Thanks for highlighting it on your blog.
ReplyDeleteYour readers can learn more about it here - http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/12/preventing-harmful-restraint-a.shtml
YouTube videos of the press conference can be found here - http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=EdLaborDemocrats#g/u (all the ones in front of the US flags)
Oh.My.Gosh.
ReplyDeleteWe really have to pass laws that "Outlaw mechanical restraints, such as strapping kids to chairs, and prohibit restraints that restrict breathing"?
I feel sick.
Thank you, Ed & Labor. I think this is truly monumental legislation and hope it passes quickly. It should have been done 20 years ago or been part of ADA... but we need to move on and make things right for EVERY student.
ReplyDeleteYES, Deb. We need to pass this! I'm ordinarily against the government getting into states' business, but human rights are an entirely different matter. That's why I'm kinda opposed to slavery and abortion, too, and think there should be federal laws banning that sorta thing. *sigh*
I think part of the ho-hum attitude the press has been giving to this so far is that it affects mostly DISABLED children, and disabled children acting "badly" at that. I read some of the comments on a CNN news story covering this about how parents need to make sure their kids obey or suffer consequences and... I thought that maybe some of our MINDS need to get out of the middle ages.
My son Elf was locked in a closet on several occasions at the local elementary school. (Read "why we homeschool" on the sidebar for more) Paddling is also detailed in the student handbook. Somehow teachers are experts on these things and don't need to consult parents as to how to whether to handle their children with kindness or just give 'em a few swacks.
If the NEA came out in support of this, it would stand a good chance of passing. Are they willing to do that?
I can't say that I know a lot about our local school system, but I DO know that paddling (not to mention locking a child in a closet) would NEVER happen. Their quality of education may not be up to par, but I guess they are right on a few things.
ReplyDeleteAren't they worried that parents will sue over these actions?
No, sorry. They're not worried at all. Read the "why we homeschool" on the sidebar for a short overview of Missouri law and what we're up against.
ReplyDeleteI mean... were the slaveowners afraid that the slaves would sue? It doesn't make what happened RIGHT when something is LEGAL... it just means that the thing that is LEGAL is protected by law...
Sounds like things may be comin' 'round.
ReplyDelete~Luke
No, I don't think I was clear....
ReplyDeleteIt's not that I don't think they should pass the law, it's the fact that we even NEED a law like that in the first place. It's appalling. I mean, do we really have to spell out, "Oh by the way teachers, don't lock children in closets or suffocate them." And the fact that what the law will be doing is outlawing what is already in practice is just...sickening.
In what universe to the handbook writing people sit down in all seriousness and make rules about closets and restraints and spanking? Do they even listen to what they are saying?
Meanwhile, those exact same teachers would report you for child abuse in a split second if you did the exact same thing at home. It's Bizarro World.
I don't know how you restrained yourself from a little Vigilante Justice, frankly.
I whole heartedly support the passing of this law.
ReplyDeleteI also am fearful that, like the mass closings of mental institutions, the "problem" will only be pushed someplace else.
I fully expect that the first day that the law goes into effect, most school systems will start calling the police on kids at the drop of the hat. We will trade bad treatment in secret for arrest records and expulsions.
Joe
Deb, it IS a weird world. I work on forgiveness, but NOT on trust. I know people who think forgiveness is like nothing ever happened... but to me, that would be very foolish and wouldn't serve my children's best interests. Unless God heals Woodjie, I AM going to have to deal with her again. She got a promotion and every IEP meeting, she'll be there to enforce the district's wishes.
ReplyDeleteHeil Hitler.
(OK, maybe I'm not as far along in the forgiveness process as I'd like to be...)
Joe, I *absolutely* agree with you. The only good thing? Police blotter is open record and no school wants "disturbance, 123 Any Street" logged 150 times each month in the local paper. It kinda looks bad. :]