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A few nights ago I attended a writing workshop with my daughter at her elementary school. As we were going from room to room, I noticed a small room, about 4' x 8', with bare metal walls and door, recessed plexiglass-covered lights and a giant electromagnet lock on the door, with a big red button on the adjacent wall. It looked like an isolation room where out-of-control people are thrown until they calm down. My wife asked one of the teachers nearby about the room and she confirmed it is indeed where the unruly students from the "special needs" class are sent, evidently when more diplomatic disciplinary measures fail.
I was rather surprised to see this type of behavior modification device in the school. We certainly didn't have these when I was in elementary school.
My question: Does your kids' school have one of these? How common are these types of rooms? When did they first start appearing in schools?
I know when I worked with children who had psychiatric issues, they were put in the time out room--similiar to what you are mentioning. Some of the special needs kids might have those types of issues. If you don't isolate them for a limited time to try to cool them down, what do you do? They can hurt themselves or other children.
I worked with multi-handicapped students for a time. We had the lowest level (basement, only half submerged so large windows in top half of walls) of a two story school used as an alternative high school of sorts for kids who just plain couldn't handle normal classrooms.
There was a 'time-out' area, but not blocked off. It was a small area about 6'x12' with one end open as a walkway between two larger classrooms. We only used it as a safe place for students having a meltdown and apt to hurt themselves. But that was not in an elementary school, and the students were multihandicapped and near or at adulthood.
I would have severe problems with something as you described in an elementary school attended by my children.
Ugh, that is sickening and heartbreaking. I have no idea if the schools here have anything like that. I know they didn't when I was in school.
What is sickening about it? Many times when a person is out of control the best way for them to get back under control is to get away from whatever stimulus is getting them out of control. An isolation room lets them calm down without injuring any one or being further disruptive.
a small room, about 4' x 8', with bare metal walls and door, recessed plexiglass-covered lights
Well, I would think that if I were throwing my "out of control" special needs child in a CLOSET, the social service people would be knocking on my door. Do you really think it's okay for a teacher to do this to a student?? Especially a special needs student??
I know when I worked with children who had psychiatric issues, they were put in the time out room--similiar to what you are mentioning. Some of the special needs kids might have those types of issues. If you don't isolate them for a limited time to try to cool them down, what do you do? They can hurt themselves or other children.
In an elementary school I worked in a number of years ago, when a student got way out of control we crossed his arms in front of him, and held him from the back until he calmed down, holding on to his arms (hard to explain, but it worked for a couple of pretty violent boys, 5th and 6th grades). It was a maneuver that worked for all staff.
Ugh, that is sickening and heartbreaking. I have no idea if the schools here have anything like that. I know they didn't when I was in school.
I work with this population. I now work with 1:1 with an autistic 6 year old boy in a regular elementary school. Out of the blue, he has gone around the room throwing anything he can get his hands on, has hit the other kids with his fists and objects.
Just last Friday, he climbed a fence and ran away. He was found by a parent 6 blocks away from the school. She and a garbage man could not contain him to put him in her car to take back to the school. The male principal AND a 6 foot custodian had to carry him screaming, kicking, and BITING into a car. He was still going off (kicking and biting) when he got back to school. Now where do you put this child until he can calm down? Back in the regular classroom with the other children? We don't have "time out" rooms here. The principal carried him, kicking and biting, into the conference room where there were only a table and chairs. We left him there and blocked the doors so he couldn't get out until his parents could come get him.
I don't think these children with severe behavior problems should be in regular schools. We need special public schools for them with the staff and facilities for their needs. We cannot put the other children in danger because of them.
A few nights ago I attended a writing workshop with my daughter at her elementary school. As we were going from room to room, I noticed a small room, about 4' x 8', with bare metal walls and door, recessed plexiglass-covered lights and a giant electromagnet lock on the door, with a big red button on the adjacent wall. It looked like an isolation room where out-of-control people are thrown until they calm down. My wife asked one of the teachers nearby about the room and she confirmed it is indeed where the unruly students from the "special needs" class are sent, evidently when more diplomatic disciplinary measures fail.
I was rather surprised to see this type of behavior modification device in the school. We certainly didn't have these when I was in elementary school.
My question: Does your kids' school have one of these? How common are these types of rooms? When did they first start appearing in schools?
They had a small "time out" room, but the walls and floor were padded. A dim light had to be kept on while they were in there. They could not be put in there for more than 20 minutes at a time.
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It can get very, very bad
