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Maine News

Rule 33 in Maine improves the regulations on restraint and seclusion. See: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/05/071/071c033.doc
See a side by side comparison of the new and old rules here: http://www.maine.gov/education/rulechanges/chapter33/comparison.pdf

Articles which motivated Maine to update regulations

Children held down: Families questions use of therapeutic restraints in Maine public schools
More parents report student restraints; Maine Dept. of Education downplays concerns
'I thought I was the only one': 3 kids, 3 years, nearly 100 school restraints
Scarborough School Board considers changes to restraint, privacy policies
Maine Dept. of Education warns schools about use of 'dangerous restraints'

Recent news from organizations asking for changes to Rule 33

Article describing push back from education administrators to the new rule:
http://www.kjonline.com/news/Maine-teachers-union-reports-dozens-of-student-on-teacher-assaults.html

Articles on the teachers union raising concerns about the new rule:
http://bangordailynews.com/2012/11/26/education/mea-dozens-of-educators-assaulted-in-wake-of-changes-to-restraint-rules/
http://www.pressherald.com/news/Maine-teachers-union-reports-dozens-of-student-on-teacher-assaults.html?searchterm=restraint+%26+seclusion
http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/24859/Default.aspx

National News

ABC News Investigative Report:

Thousands of autistic and disabled schoolchildren have been injured and dozens have died after being restrained by poorly trained teachers and school aides who tried to subdue them using at times unduly harsh techniques, an ABC News investigation has found.

With no agreed upon national standards for how teachers can restrain an unruly child, school officials around the country have been employing a wide array of methods that range from sitting on children, to handcuffing them, even jolting them with an electric shock at one specialized school. Some have locked children in padded rooms for hours at a time.

One Kentucky teacher's aide is alleged to have stuffed 9-year-old Christopher Baker, who is autistic and was swinging a chair around him, into a draw-string duffle bag.

See: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/11/abc-news-investigation-moms-fight-back-against-harsh-methods-to-restrain-students-with-special-needs/

Links, documentation, ideas and comments

The videos in the "A Safe Environment and Fair Discipline" category are great views. http://idreamaschool.org/

Training on positive behavior support http://www.pbis.org/common/pbisresources/publications/SWPBS_ImplementationBlueprint_vSep_23_2010.pdf

Recent ruling by BSEA in MA allowing Mechanical Restraint based on a school doctor seeing a short video:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/bsea/decisions/11-5444a.doc

Media coverage generated by Op Ed in New York Times:
http://terrifyingdiscipline.weebly.com/index.html

Motivational article http://www.copaa.org/public-policy/standing-in-our-own-shoes/

Federal resource document:
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/seclusion/restraints-and-seclusion-resources.pdf

Online training for influencing people:
http://www.partnersinpolicymaking.com/makingyourcase/

Documents collected in Maine initiative to update regulations:
http://www.maine.gov/education/rulechanges/chapter33/resources.html

Another concerning r/s article
http://www.sunjournal.com/news/franklin/2012/10/25/rsu-9-staff-facing-challenges-under-new-rule/1271392

Dissertation on how best to train teachers on reducing the use of restraint and seclusion.
http://wiki.laptop.org/images/f/f4/PREVENTION_AND_REDUCTION_OF_RESTRAINT_AND_SECLUSION_IN_PUBLIC_SCHOOLS-_A_COMPREHENSIVE_APPROACH_Nancy_I._Macias-Smith_Doctoral_Project_2012.pdf

A guide book for training teachers on how gto avoiod the use of restraint and seclusion.
http://wiki.laptop.org/images/2/28/FINAL_GUIDEBOOK_Nancy_I_Macias-Smith_04_11_2012_REV_SL_JL_BL_NMS_v2-1-.docx

Article about a positive approach http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2012/10/17/schools-gains-positive-behavior/16670/

SWPBIS success story http://www.toledoblade.com/Education/2012/10/30/Positive-behavior-strategy-seeks-to-lessen-discipline-gap.html

Issues in Ohio that is similar to the push back in Maine: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/11/04/state-plan-a-burden-schoolssay.html

Positive interventions being used in Ohio: http://www.toledoblade.com/Education/2012/10/30/Positive-behavior-strategy-seeks-to-lessen-discipline-gap.html