Tag: Seclusion
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Isolated in Vermont: Trauma lasts a lifetime
I want to preface this by explaining that I only write this anonymously because I don’t want colleges or future employers to look my name up and read about my childhood trauma. I attended kindergarten through 4th grade in a Vermont Public School. I am now in High School. Last year a letter was written…
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A mother tells Round Rock ISD it is time to end the systemic culture of abuse
What follows is the written transcript of public comment delivered to the Round Rock, Texas, Independent School District school board by Tatiana Alfano. Tatiana’s son Quintin was thrown into a “cool down” room by a school administrator.
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It’s time to ban seclusion in New Jersey schools
Seclusion is the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. In June, an investigation by the NJ Advance Media led to the publication of an article, “Inside the quiet rooms.” The article stated that at least 1,150 New Jersey students had been…
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Invisible voices: Victims of corporal punishment in the 20th century Catholic School System
Anyone who attended Catholic school during the 1950’s, ‘60s, and ’70s will attest to the fact that no one does better punishment, seclusion, restraint, and isolation techniques better than the Catholic orders of nuns who taught in the catholic school systems across the United States and Canada. The nuns imposed corporal punishment for inattention, failure…
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Could the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protect your child from physical restraint, seclusion, and corporal punishment?
One day while browsing my overflowing email inbox, I noticed an email from The Satanic Temple (TST). Initially, I assumed it was probably another spam email message. However, when I scanned the subject line, I saw ‘The Satanic Temple’s “Protect Children Project.”‘ Well, this sounded interesting, so I decided to read the email. The email…
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Back to school can be a challenging time for neurodivergent students
Back to school is generally seen as a time for new clothes, new teachers, and new challenges for students of all ages. To autistic students, students with genetic conditions affecting behavior, and other disabled students, these activities can be fraught with landmines. How will they fit into these learning environments? Will the teachers understand your…
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I’m a teacher, and I don’t believe restraints keep children safe
I started my career working in a residential facility. Restraints and seclusions were common, almost daily experiences. So I have a long history with them. I am embarrassed to say that while I was in my 20’s trying to supervise extremely volatile and impacted children, I saw them as “sometimes necessary for safety.” I don’t…
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Safety First: A quick start guide for parents working to keep their kids safe from restraint, seclusion, suspension, and expulsion
When I held each of my two kids as newborns, I promised to keep each of them as safe as possible. I know that the world isn’t fair and that no parent can (or should) shield their children from all of life’s difficulties, but I thought that since I had a relatively safe childhood, I…
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These Things Go in a Closet
These things go in a closet. Kids don’t belong in a closet in school. These things go in a closet. Putting kids in a closet is cruel. Putting kids in a closet is cruel. Vote to end the seclusion rooms.
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A teacher on a mission to reduce and eliminate restraint and seclusion
I’m a special educator with over ten years of experience working in self-contained alternative classrooms in Arizona and Vermont. When I began my career, I was a teacher who restrained and secluded young children. I was a teacher who couldn’t have done anything differently because I lacked skills. I was new and inexperienced. I didn’t…