We call on the Minnesota Legislature and the Department of Education to pass Josiah's Law, a civil rights and disability safety bill which would ensure that students with disabilities — especially nonverbal and high-risk children — are allowed to wear assistive safety devices like AngelSense and prevent physical abuse and Illegal restraint in schools.

 It will help detect and prevent restraint and ensure use is documented, justified and disclosed to families. It will prevent Nonverbal, medically fragile and disabled students who are unable to report abuse and neglect. 

It will prevent death & elopement issues. These devices provide real-time location tracking and optional emergency “listen-in” features, as a protective measure giving children a voice and keeping them safe from abuse, neglect, or restraint.

It will provide immediate safety monitoring as caregivers can use the 2-way communication feature to listen in during moments of concern, such as bus rides, transitions or unfamiliar interactions.  

Josiah, a nonverbal African American student with multiple cognitive and physical disabilities, was physically restrained on a school bus while in his wheelchair subjected to 100% immobolization without legal justification. Josiah is legally blind. Josiah was denied use of a safety device his family provided to ensure his wellbeing. Because he couldn’t speak or call for help, he suffered injury and trauma. Devices like AngelSense could have protected him. Students like Josiah are invisible without their voices. Josiah's school refused to allow the device citing it is illegal to use and violates privacy concerns. Parents need tools to protect our children when schools fall short. Racially and medically marginalized students are more likely to be restrained or neglected and less likely to be believed. 

The same school district failed to:

Change his diapers during the school day;

Provide written summaries after restraint;

Place him in a more appropriate school despite multiple requests;

Treat him equally compared to white peers.

Other students are allowed to carry phones that record video and audio yet AngelSense is often banned due to privacy concerns. That’s discrimination. This unequal treatment is discriminatory and leaves students like Josiah at risk.

Josiah experienced unexplained bruises, a sprain, increased seizures and behavioral changes. His mother witnessed the bus aide physically restrain him without cause and received resistance when requesting documentation or summaries from the school.

We call on lawmakers to:

Equal treatment for students with disabilities and allow students with disabilities to wear AngelSense or similar safety devices with or without the listen in feature when medically or behaviorally necessary

Guarantee students with disabilities the right to wear safety devices in school by including these devices in IEP and 504 plans as assistive technology under IDEA.

Require school staff to notify parents and report all use of restraint and allow parental access to videos and summaries.

Prohibit policies that selectively block assistive tech based on unjustified fears.

Address the racial and disability disparities in school discipline.

Passing Josiah's Law will protect civil rights, prevent abuse and ensure equity in school safety policies across Minnesota. Let's pass Love's Law and ensure that no child is left unheard, unprotected or unsupported.