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Segregation and Restraint
A family’s journey Today’s guest author is Amber Dawn. Amber is a resident of Des Moines, Iowa. Amber is an advocate for better teacher-parent relationships in the education system. Amber is a parent who’s willing to stand up for her son and others. It all started in Kindergarten, a teacher told me something was wrong with my…
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Restraint and Seclusion: Where is the Outrage?
The harmful practices of seclusion and restraints have been in the public eye and before Congress and state Departments of Educations for over 20 years. There has been a sense of urgency for every parent whose child has been impacted, for advocacy groups and for legislators who have worked diligently to create changes, including through…
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What can I do? If my child is being restrained and/or secluded?
One question we commonly get at the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint is what can I do if my child is being restrained an or secluded at school? First know that you are not alone, other parents are going through this as well, and we have a community that can help. Next it is important…
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Dear Colleague Letter: Restraint and Seclusion of Students with Disabilities (2016)
In December 2016 Catherine E. Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, for the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague letter to provide guidance on how restraint and seclusion in schools can spur discrimination against students with disabilities, and recommendations for how educators and staff might approach discipline.
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A Moron Row, Knuckle Raps, and “Dunce Caps”
I started school in 1958 in a classroom in a house in the little town of Lost Creek, West Virginia. According to my mother, I was ready for school two years before I could start because I set about mastering the set of skills necessary for students to learn before entering school that were listed…
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If Johns Hopkins Children’s Center recommends it
Maybe your child’s teacher should read it too Today’s guest author is Shelley. Shelley is a stay at home mom, whose son is her full time job. I have a son with special needs who is in the 3rd grade. Approximately 14 months ago I took my son to the emergency room at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center due to…
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No restraining, just keeping kids busy and loved!
A teachers journey Today’s guest author is Sharon Bense. After teaching special education in the public schools for 20 years, Sharon Bense, co-founded Clover Community School in Bentonville, Arkansas, to give students who learn differently a chance to attend a school created just for them. Sharon has a bachelors degree in psychology from the University Texas…
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Be the change that you wish to see in the world
Our children’s future and others like them are literally on the line Today’s guest author is Pamela Ononiwu. Pamela is a mother from Virginia and a Candidate for School Board Member, for Fairfax County Public Schools, the Mt. Vernon District. When it was revealed in March 2019 that Fairfax County Public Schools had thousands of cases where…
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Not a Crime
Kids need help to reach their full potential Today’s guest author is Vickie Jarosz. Vickie is a stay at home mom from Peachtree City Georgia. She is the parent to four children (adopted) who suffered exposure to drugs and alcohol in-utero. Two of our kids were adopted from foster care have added issues from suffering early…
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Restraint and Seclusion by the Numbers
The civil rights of disabled children and minorities are being violated Restraint and seclusion disproportionately impact disabled children and African American students in the United States. Many of the children impacted by restraint and seclusion are elementary school students as young as five years old. In the 2015–2016 school year over 122,000 students were restrained…
