Perceptions of the Effects of Restraint and Seclusion on School Staff: A Qualitative Inquiry
Open AccessDuring the 2011-2012 school year, the U.S. Department of Education reported that kids with disabilities accounted for three-quarters of those who were physically restrained, and 58% of these students were placed in seclusion or some other form of involuntary confinement at schools across the country (U.S. Department of Education, 2017). Students with emotional and behavioral disabilities exhibit significant challenging behaviors that can interfere with learning, disrupt the instructional environment, and pose threats to the safety and well-being of students and educators alike (Ryan et al., 2013). There may also be disproportionate use of physical restraint and seclusion with students living in poverty, or those who are of minority status (Gangon, 2017). African American students make up 15% of total school enrollment, and yet they represent 27% of those students restrained and 23% of those students who were secluded in school. The federal government has limited policy around effective approaches to ensure the safety of the students as well as school personnel in the use of restraint and seclusion. The states determine policies about student restraint and seclusion, which accounts for the inconsistency in implementation, questionable ethical approaches, and improper oversight or lack of checks and balances. According to a new report from the Autism National Committee (2014), laws are in place in 22 states regulating educators’ use of restraint and seclusion, while 34 states have protections in place specific to kids with disabilities. Although legislation has been proposed at both the national and state levels, no consistent guidelines currently exist for schools to follow (Butler, 2017; Freeman & Sugai, 2013; Ryan, 2007, 2009).
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