Hearst Newspapers
When Schools Use Force – A National Investigation
Every day in public and private schools across the country, children are “restrained” – physically held by staff members, pinned to the ground, or bound by mechanical devices such as straps or handcuffs.
Other times, students are kept in “seclusion,” confined alone in rooms ranging from windowless small supply closets and bathrooms to spaces resembling padded cells. These practices are used thousands of times per school day nationwide. They cause thousands of injuries to students and staff members each year. Yet many people don’t know this happens at all.
Parents have in some cases gone weeks or years without knowing their child had been regularly subjected to these controversial interventions. But a yearlong national investigation by Hearst Newspapers found that accountability and oversight of restraint and seclusion in schools across the country are sorely lacking. This series uncovers and highlights systemic abuses and problems, from discriminatory practices to major gaps in oversight.
To read the full story, go to the following link: <https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/Controversial-and-often-used-these-little-known-17474949.php>
