Seclusion as a Disciplinary Tactic

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A new federal report shows that 19 states do not regulate the use of seclusion as a disciplinary tactic in schools.

The U.S. Department of Education report released this week stems from Education Secretary Arne Duncan's query to state school chiefs last year on policies for confinement and restraint of chronically misbehaving students.

The report shows that even though several states have some type of policy, many of those policies are weak and don't clearly define proper disciplinary measures for teachers dealing with sometimes-violent children.

For the first time, federal lawmakers are considering legislation that would prohibit restraint and seclusion in most circumstances and require training for educators on effective behavior management.

The bill passed the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee earlier this month.

AP