U.S. Department of Education Guidance on Seclusion and Restraint Should be a Path Forward to Ending this Barbaric Practice for Good

With a change in Presidential administrations coming in days, Congress must focus on ending ineffective and outdated methods of behavior intervention involving neurodiverse students. 

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Outgoing U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued a policy letter on January 8, 2025 to governors and school administrators addressing seclusion and restraint practices. Americans for Autism Advocacy issues the following comment:

“Secretary Cardona’s policy letter addressing seclusion and restraint in American schools is a welcome start on a larger discussion needed to end this barbaric practice for good.  The incoming Secretary of the United States Department of Education needs to pressure both state governors and Members of Congress to address seclusion and restraint practices immediately after the Presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025.  States need to be focused on introducing legislation that eliminates loopholes in their current laws governing seclusion and restraint. This includes banning prone, physical restraints that can seriously injure or kill students along with a full prohibition on using mechanical restraints. School administrators need to be focused on training all staff on using proven behavioral intervention techniques to help neurodiverse students thrive in the classroom.  Members of Congress and state lawmakers need to stand up special interests such as the teachers unions who have long opposed reform to seclusion and restraint policies.  Parents will hold lawmakers accountable if they punt on this opportunity for reform.”