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The Department of Justice Has Restored and Updated a Critical Online Resource Related Combatting the Improper Use of Seclusion
I have some great news to share. Many of you may have noticed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) removed webpages related to the improper use of seclusion earlier this year. You might have wondered what this meant and whether this critical work would remain a priority. Today, I learned that the webpages related to…
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Yes, the Preschool-to-Prison Pipeline is a Real Phenomenon
In recent years, advocates have drawn attention to a troubling and embedded trend in our society: the preschool-to-prison pipeline. While the phenomenon may sound hyperbolic at first, it reflects an ingrained pattern of harmful and disproportionate disciplinary actions and systemic inequalities that can begin as soon as a child is born. The continuation of the…
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Neurodivergent Students Don’t Need a Calm Corner, They a Whole Classroom Rooted in Calm, Connection, and Compassion
“Just make a calm-down space in your room!” they say, as if emotional regulation can be solved with a bean bag chair, a glitter jar, and a cute sign that says “breathe.” But here’s what so many people miss: when I’m dysregulated when my nervous system is in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn I’m not…
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Parallel Battles: Advocacy in Healthcare and Education for Vulnerable Populations
Every day as a nurse and mother of a child with a disability, I find myself navigating two very distinct worlds – one rooted in healthcare and the other in education, both, however, interconnected by a demanding commitment to advocacy. Through my experience as a nurse and my daughter’s experience within the public school system, I…
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Both Sides Get Social-Emotional Learning Wrong And Keep Pushing the One System That Harms Kids Most, PBIS
In today’s chaotic and polarized political environment, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) has become one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented concepts in education. What should be a universally embraced tool to help students develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, and resilience has instead become a lightning rod for controversy. Politicians from both ends of the political spectrum…
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A Step Forward: Department of Justice Settlement with Montcalm Area ISD Signals Ongoing Commitment to Protecting Students from Seclusion and Restraint
The Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint welcomes the recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Educational Opportunities Section regarding its investigation and settlement agreement with the Montcalm Area Intermediate School District (MAISD) in Michigan. This development is a powerful signal that there are those in the federal government who remain committed to protecting the…
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Rewards in Schools: Not the Same as a Paycheck, and More Harmful Than Helpful
Today, many educators rely on systems of rewards—such as tokens, stickers, or points—to gain student compliance. Of course, we believe that compliance is the wrong goal, but that is a topic for another article. The truth is that rewards or positive reinforcements are a common part of approaches such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports…
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Announcing an Important Research Collaboration: Understanding the Psychological Impacts of Seclusion and Restraint
The Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR) is excited to announce a new research partnership with a team from the University of Texas at Austin. Together, we are launching a foundational study to investigate the long-term psychological impacts of physical restraint and seclusion, focusing on the voices of those who have lived through these experiences.
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We Don’t Understand You: Understanding Trauma Matters
For the longest time, humans knew next to nothing about the organ that resides in their own skull: the brain. A vital organ that controls our actions, thoughts, and behaviors. A price of misunderstanding the workings of the brain has led to detrimental effects, like traumas known as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). From a multitude…
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Neurodiversity in Schools: Progress Since I Was a Student?
Before touching on my professional experiences, I want to give a quick summary of what I recall from my school days. I went through the public school system in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I specify not to age myself but to remind readers that our knowledge of neurodiversity has made great progress since…
