Teacher Abusing ADHD Student?
“A teacher at my child’s school tied a student with ADHD to his chair because he wouldn’t stay in his seat. Isn’t that against the law?”
Rules governing restraint and seclusion vary from state to state. This issue has spawned proposed legislation to establish uniform regulations in all states.
Unbelievably, only 10 states ban mechanical restraints (straps or duct tape) and the use of chemical agents (pepper spray). In 2010, a bill, the “Keeping All Students Safe Act,” was introduced and passed in the House of Representatives, but it died in the Senate. The bill was reintroduced in early 2011. It hasn’t been passed as of publication.
If this legislation does pass, the incident you
described would be criminal. The parents of this boy should file a complaint with the school district, police department, and their state’s department of education to seek an investigation into the incident. Their action may prevent this from happening to other students.