CEC Endorses Seclusion and Restraint Bill
On Thursday, House and Senate Democrats released the Keeping All Students Safe Act, a bill to ban seclusion and significantly limit restraint, including a ban on restraint practices that restrict children’s breathing, such as prone or supine restraint, in schools receiving federal funding.
The bill is led by Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), and Congressman Donald McEachin (D-VA).
In a press release announcing the introduction, bill sponsors noted:
"The most current data from the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) reveals that 101,990 students were subjected to seclusion or restraint during the 2017-18 school year. Of the students restrained or secluded, 78 percent were students with disabilities who were disproportionately students who identified as Black/African American and boys."
CEC, which released a Position Statement on Restraint and Seclusion this week. endorsed the legislation.