COALITION AGAINST INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILD ABUSE
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IN OUR OPINION: Set clear rules on student restraint

December 11, 2006

For too long, Michigan has left its public school students and teachers much too vulnerable by not adopting strict seclusion and restraint guidelines. Both parties could gain protection today if the state Board of Education adopts new rules -- particularly if the board clarifies a couple points.

The new policy would limit the use of restraint to only emergency situations and for no more than 10 minutes. And Michigan would wisely outlaw any practice that threatens to cut off a child's breathing. These critical changes seem to offer students and teachers safeguards missing from previously vague guidelines. Without them there could be more tragedies like the 2003 death of 15-year-old Michael Renner-Lewis. He died after being restrained at Parchment High School near Kalamazoo.

The board should also make the policy mandatory instead of voluntary, as currently written. That would put the state on the hook for training and not let cash-strapped school boards forgo it. If Michigan wants schools to take this switch seriously, it must help shoulder the burden.

There is one other sticking point. The new policy is based on absolutely zero statistical data about the use of seclusion and restraint. Michigan doesn't collect it. That's set to change under the new policy, but the board should go further by scheduling a review of training and seclusion and restraint data in a year.

Such a review could help Michigan determine whether it needs to go as far as Massachusetts has with a ban of seclusion and restraint. Board members should remain open to the idea. But that assessment can wait. Imposing guidelines that keep students and teachers safe cannot.

 

 

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