Category: School
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A Literature Review Examining the Ineffectiveness of Punitive Discipline and Corporal Punishment
Punitive discipline and corporal punishment have long been widespread practices in schools to address stress behavior of students. Over the last two decades, a growing body of evidence has shown that such approaches are not effective in correcting stress behavior and are detrimental to students’ well-being. In fact, evidence-based data suggests that punitive discipline and corporal punishment have a…
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Neurodiversity, Behavior, and the Problem with PBIS
While no two nervous systems are identical, some characteristics are more common than others. People with these more common traits are called neurotypical. People with less common configurations are called neurodivergent. Autism, ADHD, epilepsy, Down syndrome, Tourette syndrome, depression, dyslexia, and dyspraxia are some common types of neurodivergence, though there are many more.
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Making a Change: Getting Involved in Public Office to Improve Special Education and Stop the Abuse in our Schools
Getting involved in public office is scary, but it can also be a powerful way to drive positive change in the community. It can also be empowering as a parent or caregiver in your own recovery from the trauma your child may have experienced.
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It’s About Helping Children and Youth, Not Controlling Them
I have this thought floating in, what I lovingly refer to as the abyss of my mind, that I cannot seem to escape. Jobs like social work, teaching, nursing, and other jobs that carry the label of a helping profession attract different kinds of people. On one side of the helping profession are those who…
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Impact of Seclusion and Restraint on Post High School Outcomes
As an attorney practicing in the areas of education and discrimination, seclusion and restraint in schools are a particularly concerning problem. Data suggests that these tactics are often used in a discriminatory manner and negatively impact students’ legal right to access the educational environment. For these reasons, I have been searching for information on the…
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Who Do You Need To Hear It From Before You Believe It?
As parents, no matter what the situation, we are supposed to be advocates for our children. That’s a given. One phrase I hear often from professionals – I refer to any school staff, social workers, physicians, etc. as “professionals” – is “You know your child best.” But is that just a saying, or does that…
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A Letter to the Jordan School District in Utah
According to Jordan School District policy, restraint and seclusion are emergency safety interventions that should only be used when a student’s behavior poses an imminent danger of serious physical harm to self or others. The phrase “imminent danger of serious physical harm” is critical as it is the criteria under which your policy states that…
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Is Taylor Swift Trauma Informed?
Recently, Taylor Swift shared in an interview, “I respond to extreme pain with defiance.” This quote resonated with me in a way that felt profoundly personal—like it was meant for me. I’ve found that my response to generational family trauma, heartbreak, friendship betrayals, and, most recently, workplace abuse has mirrored Swift’s sentiment: complete and utter…
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Seclusion Prevented My Son from Reaching His Potential
Every child deserves to be treated with dignity and deserves to be safe regardless of their race, socio-economic status, or cognitive/physical abilities. All children need love and kindness to thrive in the world. Abraham Maslow created the following hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation.” In order to move up…
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Kids of the World Should Be in Charge of Their Learning
Have you ever wondered who changes schools? Who makes it different? Well, I have realized who does, and they shouldn’t be. We should be; the kids of the world should be in charge of their learning! I believe kids should have the right to their own learning because kids like different topics in school, kids…