The Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) is deeply concerned about Louisiana’s proposed House Bill 684, which codifies the use of seclusion and physical restraint in schools for students with disabilities. While the bill includes incremental reforms, such as requiring cameras in special education classrooms, it lowers the threshold for mandatory IEP reviews, and it fails to address systemic risks posed by these dangerous practices.
Seclusion Remains Permitted Despite Proven Harms
HB 684 continues to allow seclusion but weakly defines it as a procedure that isolates and confines a student in a designated separate room or area until they are no longer an immediate danger or an imminent risk of harm to themselves or others. The definition is not in line with federal data reporting requirements related to the Civil Rights Data Collection or the definition used by The United States Department of Justice, which defines seclusion as “Seclusion as the involuntary confinement of a student alone in any room or area. It includes the use of any room or area in which the student is alone and not free to leave (or believes they are not free to leave).” HB 684, in allowing the ongoing use of seclusion, contradicts overwhelming evidence that seclusion causes psychological trauma, exacerbates behavioral challenges, and violates students’ dignity. The bill’s “last resort” justification for seclusion is inherently subjective. Research shows seclusion is often misapplied for behaviors like noncompliance or academic refusal. Proposed federal legislation, The Keeping All Students Safe Act (KASSA), would explicitly ban seclusion in all federally funded schools, recognizing it as an outdated and harmful practice.
Dangerous Forms of Physical Restraint Are Not Prohibited
While HB 684 bans mechanical restraints and restricts physical restraint to “manual techniques,” it does not explicitly prohibit prone (face-down) or supine (face-up) restraints. These positions are linked to asphyxiation and death, particularly for young children with disabilities. The bill only prohibits restraints that “place excessive pressure on the chest or back”, leaving loopholes for dangerous methods. Proposed federal legislation and many states ban all restraints that restrict breathing and blood flow or are life-threatening, including prone and supine holds.
HB 684 asserts that restraint must be used “in a manner that causes no physical injury” and results in “the least possible discomfort.” This language dangerously downplays the reality that physical restraint is a potentially deadly intervention, even when applied “correctly.” Over 80% of restrained students nationwide have disabilities, and improper techniques have led to injuries and fatalities. Louisiana’s own audit found inconsistent reporting and oversight, with 72% of school systems claiming zero incidents of restraint/seclusion in 2023–24—a statistical improbability. Laws in other states limit restraint to emergencies where there is an imminent risk of serious physical injury, mandate trauma-informed de-escalation training, and require states to collect and publish restraint/seclusion data.
We are also concerned about the three-minute restraint loophole in the bill. HB 684 exempts restraints lasting less than three minutes from reporting, creating a loophole that masks the actual frequency of these interventions. This loophole will likely lead to the use of short, repeated restraints, which can cause physical and emotional harm and lead to increased stress behavior. This exemption undermines transparency and accountability, perpetuating a culture where restraint is normalized. Many states require reporting all instances of restraint, regardless of duration and mandate parental notification within 24 hours. HB 684 falls short of federal proposals and many state laws, which prioritize prevention, accountability, and systemic change:
Conclusion: A Step Backward for Student Safety
While HB 684 introduces minor improvements, such as camera requirements, it fails to address the root causes of restraint and seclusion overuse. By permitting seclusion, exempting short restraints, and lacking explicit bans on dangerous techniques, the bill perpetuates a system that endangers students and violates their rights.
AASR urges Louisiana lawmakers to align with federal efforts like KASSA, which prioritize the elimination of seclusion, strict limits on restraint, and robust safeguards for students with disabilities. If passed into law, HB 684 risks normalizing practices that have no place in our schools.
