The debate over the use of physical restraint and seclusion in schools flared up earlier this month when three staff members at Guiding Hands private alternative school in El Dorado, California, were charged in the 2018 death of a student on the autism spectrum. The 13-year-old boy died after being restrained due to fears he may hurt others.
Nationwide, more than 100,000 students were restrained or secluded during the 2013-14 school year. Nearly 69,000 of those students had disabilities, suggesting the practice of isolation and restraint are typically used on students with disabilities.
