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Our local school districts, in Wisconsin, are really enforcing the state guidelines on "no restraint". At times, it is almost ridiculous. We have actually been told that if a child, even a child with special needs, was running to an outside door (even facing the parking lot or a busy street) a teacher or adult can not "restrain" them by blocking their path. Technically, we are suppose to just let them run outside or else be faced with a mountain of paperwork to be filed with the district & state explaining why you "illegally restrained a child".
And the students are starting to know this. I am aware of several regular education students (because I subbed in their classrooms) who just run out of the classroom whenever they do not want to do the work or participate in the classroom activities. You can not block them, even by stating verbally "Do not leave the classroom" or by shutting the classroom door (I got into huge, huge trouble for doing that). Obviously, the teacher (or in my case the sub teacher) can not leave all of the other students unattended by chasing after the running student so all you can do is notify the office to send people to look for that child. In one of the cases the student had already ran down a flight of stairs, went to the other side of the building and was going outside to the playground before other staff members found him.
You can not even hold hands when walking down the hallway with an early childhood special education student or elementary age student with severe cognitive disabilities because you could be "restraining" them from running away.
I recently spoke with a teacher from another school district who had worked in a school with a very large special education population. She said that her school faced a busy street and as soon as a child ran off school property into the street the office would call the police because the child was "truant" and wait for the police to come to return the child to school. She said that it was not unusual for the police to be called once or twice or even several times per week. This teacher said that all the staff were concerned about a student getting hit by a car, but the official policy was that you could run after a student but you could not block them, try to stop them or restrict them in any way. She said that staff were allowed to go into the street to try to stop the cars if they were there fast enough (frankly, that seems pretty dangerous). This teacher said that this policy, of allowing students to leave the classroom and building, was a major reason for her quitting her job at that school.
I understand that this policy started because of a very few situations where a child's movements were restricted inappropriately but IMHO the way that it is handled now is too much of an over reaction. I said "new" in my thread title but the policy is actually several years old in my state, but recently it seems to be more strictly enforced. But, perhaps, more students are just learning that they can leave the classroom, playground or building without adults stopping them so it comes up more often.
How do they handle this in your district or your state?
Last edited by germaine2626; 11-23-2014 at 07:58 AM..
This is a new one to me. What a hot mess. If one of these kids gets hit by a car who is responsible?
I am assuming that the teacher will be blamed. Aren't we blamed for everything else?
When I got into trouble for closing the classroom door and verbally asking/telling the student to stay in the classroom I was told that I could do neither of those things, plus I was told that "if I were a better substitute teacher, with more engaging lessons and manner, the child would have wanted to stay in the classroom". BTW, I found out from other teachers that the child ran out of the classroom several times per day for his regular teacher. Perhaps, she needs "more engaging lessons and manner", as well.
I am assuming that the teacher will be blamed. Aren't we blamed for everything else?
When I got into trouble for closing the classroom door and verbally asking/telling the student to stay in the classroom I was told that I could do neither of those things, plus I was told that "if I were a better substitute teacher, with more engaging lessons and manner, the child would have wanted to stay in the classroom". BTW, I found out from other teachers that the child ran out of the classroom several times per day for his regular teacher. Perhaps, she needs "more engaging lessons and manner", as well.
Who was the idiot that decided that was the right thing to say to you? The sub isn't responsible for "engaging lessons," that joy belongs to the regular classroom teacher. Sounds like they are the ones with an issue. I would steer clear of that school, if I could.
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I am assuming that the teacher will be blamed. Aren't we blamed for everything else?
When I got into trouble for closing the classroom door and verbally asking/telling the student to stay in the classroom I was told that I could do neither of those things, plus I was told that "if I were a better substitute teacher, with more engaging lessons and manner, the child would have wanted to stay in the classroom". BTW, I found out from other teachers that the child ran out of the classroom several times per day for his regular teacher. Perhaps, she needs "more engaging lessons and manner", as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldhag1
Who was the idiot that decided that was the right thing to say to you? The sub isn't responsible for "engaging lessons," that joy belongs to the regular classroom teacher. Sounds like they are the ones with an issue. I would steer clear of that school, if I could.
Apparently that it the "standard line" that the principal tells everyone who has any problems or difficulties in the classroom. It seems like subs are suppose to make the lessons "more engaging" while following the lesson plans exactly and to the letter (including dotting every "i" and crossing every "t"). Subs also get in trouble if they don't complete everything in the plans and do it like a clone of the teacher.
And, the principal wonders why they have such difficulty finding subs for the building.
In one district we were told not to touch any student, no matter what was going on.
"Call the office" is what we do while we stand there and watch and wait for someone "qualified" to deal with the situation to arrive.
In one district we were told not to touch any student, no matter what was going on.
"Call the office" is what we do while we stand there and watch and wait for someone "qualified" to deal with the situation to arrive.
Same here at my school... call the office and they'll usually call the school resource officer to scoop them up.
This is ridiculous. So what about the security of the child? Who is responsible if something bad happens or some accident takes place.
Restraint should be there we can not let the children free because they are the children and does not know what is safe for them. The policy makers are the craziest persons i say .
Do you know what parents reaction for all this?
It is a policy because parents sue.
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No restraint and the kid got hurt - blame the teacher.
Used restraint but the kid was safe - blame the teacher.
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