As a school psychologist who spent 30-plus years working in clinics and public schools with our most behaviorally challenged students, and who spent years training others in de-escalation and nonviolent crisis intervention and restraint, I sincerely hope a bill is never passed that prohibits restraint and seclusion in schools (“Bill would end use of student restraint and seclusion in Maine schools,” May 17).
These tools are absolutely necessary and required to assist our most behaviorally-challenged students to restore self-control. What message do we give children when they are completely out of control and the adults around them have no means to assist them?
Yes, all involved adults need to be sufficiently trained and never involved when angry or scared of a violent child. There are plenty of others who can help and know that a close bond can be formed between child and adult when the adult keeps them safe.
Every child should have the right to be protected when needed. If these tools leave public school, then more restrictive exceedingly-expensive placements will be needed where, unfortunately, all of the students have severe behavior. In all schools, education cannot happen if students are lacking in self-control and educators do not have the necessary tools to assist them.
Jan Martin, Hudson, New Hampshire
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