Education

ACTION ALERT: Restraint & Seclusion Legislation National Call-In Day February 26th

Recently, the House Committee on Education and Labor voted H.R. 4247 out of committee with a vote of 35 to 10. Your hard work has certainly made a difference, but we need your continued efforts to advance this important legislation. Specifically, we need your assistance to get the bill moved to the floor for a full House vote and to obtain Co-sponsors for the Senate version, S. 2860.

Read More »

URGENT ACTION ALERT: HR 4247 Going to Committee This Week

H.R. 4247, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act is going to be marked up by the House Education and Labor Committee this coming Thursday. In order to avoid amendments to the legislation that could potentially weaken the bill’s ability to protect students, it is important we send a clear message to Congress to pass H.R. 4247 and to keep it strong.

Read More »

ACTION ALERT: Autistic Child Charged with Felony Assault after Resisting Restraint

Action Needed to Protect Child: An 11-year old Autistic boy in Arkansas named Zakhqurey Price is currently being charged with felony assault after fighting back when two staff members restrained him in response to behavioral challenges. The school has ignored repeated efforts from Zakh’s grandmother over the course of the last five months to obtain needed IEP supports to improve his educational options and manage his behavioral difficulties.

Read More »

We have decided to homeschool

An essay by Emily Willingham. Since TH was in kindergarten, he’s had a nemesis. Ironically, it was the very first person he met at his school, as we had just moved into the district. Idiots that we were, we thought she seemed pretty nice and encouraged TH to engage with her.

Read More »

Seclusion and Restraint Legislation Press Release

Proposed Legislation to Protect Students: The Justice for All Action Network (JFAAN), a coalition of disability-led organizations and allies, applauds proposed federal legislation to protect students with disabilities from mistreatment in schools.

Read More »

Bringing Neurodiversity into the Classroom

An essay by Stephanie Allen Crist. A little boy steps off the bus, confused by his unexpected surroundings. This year—the year he starts kindergarten—the bus stops at the backdoor of a new school, instead of the front entrance of his neighborhood school, after a much longer bus ride. Maybe he knows he’s being ushered into this new school through the backdoor, maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he even knows the classroom he enters is segregated from his peers.

Read More »

Call for Action to End the Judge Rotenberg Center and Aversives

Joint Letter Seeking Government Action Against Judge Rotenberg Center: 29 disability organizations concerned with the humane treatment of people with disabilities have contacted U.S. government departments and human rights organizations regarding the need to put an end to abusive practices at the Judge Rotenberg Center.

Read More »