The school system uses seclusion and restraint exclusively against special education students. This is a violation of the student's Civil Rights, an official complaint has been filed by the parents of a 5 year old child and can be found at http://www.nc.fearfreeeducation.org .

Since most children diagnosed with Autism are incorporated in the special-ed community because of their special needs, and this diagnosis is reaching epidemic proportions, more and more children will be subjected to the cruel and inhumane practice of seclusion. There is no training for this and there is not a single peer reviewed scientific study that indicates that by forcing a child with autism into a room or any area at school and prevented from leaving makes the continued use of this "de-escalation technique" safe. According to a 2009 Government Accountability Office (GAO) study, restraints and seclusion have resulted in physical injury and psychological trauma to thousands of students in public and private schools throughout the country, nearly all of them students with disabilities. Estimates from the GAO are that over 200 students have died due to seclusion and restraints being used in schools over the past five years.

We think it responsible as parents to demand that this practice stop immediately before one more child is injured or killed from it.