Keeping All Students Safe Act: What People Are Saying
WASHINGTON — The Keeping All Students Safe Act is a bold plan to protect students from dangerous seclusion and restraint discipline practices in schools and better equip school personnel with the tools to develop safer, evidence-based proactive strategies. Here’s what some of the nation’s leading are saying about the bill:
The Arc: “It has now been a full decade since the House of Representatives passed a bill to limit restraint and seclusion in schools. Since then, hundreds of thousands of students – disproportionately those with disabilities - have been subjected to these harmful, ineffective, and unnecessary practices. With today’s reintroduction of the Keeping All Students Safe Act to ban seclusion and most forms of restraint, students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and advocates have renewed hope and stand ready to help Senator Chris Murphy and Representative Don Beyer to finally make this legislation the law of the land,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN): "Restraint and seclusion are traumatic and dangerous practices that harm students with disabilities every day. Every student has the right to be safe at school. We applaud the introduction of the Keeping All Students Safe Act, and urge Congress to work quickly to ensure its passage,” said Julia Bascom, Executive Director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN).
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA): “The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) thanks Representatives Beyer and McEachin, Chairman Scott, Senator Murphy and Ranking Member Murray for their leadership in introducing The Keeping All Students Safe Act (KASSA). Given the increase in injuries and death of vulnerable Black students, boys, and students with disabilities through seclusion and restraint, it is long past time for Congress to take decisive and clear action. The law is needed to stop our children from being terrorized, tortured, and abused in our nation's schools. State action alone has not curbed the imposition of these dangerous practices, often in shockingly high numbers. If enacted, KASSA would finally end the pervasive maltreatment of children,” said Denise Marshall, CEO of COPAA.
National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD): "For far too long, students with disabilities have suffered the harms that come with being restrained and secluded in our public schools. Restraint and seclusion are not safe nor appropriate methods for addressing student behavior. We are grateful to Chairman Scott, Representatives Beyer and McEachin, Ranking Member Murray, and Senator Murphy for their steadfast leadership on this issue over the years. We are hopeful that the Keeping All Students Safe Act will provide schools with more positive, productive approaches and tools to support students with disabilities,” said Lindsay Jones, president and CEO.
National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools: "We applaud the introduction of the Keeping All Students Safe Act (KASSA). This bill is definitely needed, as students with disabilities continue to experience the highest rates of seclusion and restraint in all public schools- traditional and charter. We appreciate that the bill couples restrictions on these harsh practices with funding to schools to support personnel training in the use of de-escalation techniques, conflict management, and evidence-based positive behavioral interventions and supports. This approach will help schools support the needs of students, safely address the source of their behaviors and protect their access to instruction – a better result for everyone,” said aid Lauren Morando Rhim, Co-founder and Executive Director of National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools.
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN): “The abusive use of restraint and seclusion on school children is more than just an educational failure, it is deadly. Our protection and advocacy network have investigated instances of injury and death as a result of the improper use of restraint and seclusion in almost every state and territory. It is critical that Congress pass the Keeping All Students Safe Act so every child, in every community is safe, secure and able to access education free of harm,” said National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) Executive Director Curt Decker.
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