The Wrightslaw Way

A 14-year old student in a special education classroom in Texas, Cedric lived with a foster family because of a history of neglect, including malnutrition. One day in 2002, his teacher tried to punish him by withholding food, despite the abuse he had suffered as a young child. Cedric’s teacher delayed his lunch for hours […]

My 6 year old grandson has ASD, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, & Hypermobility Syndrome. He is prone to fractures and in danger of re-fracturing the same bone over & over. He was physically restrained at school and received numerous bruises. The principal said he was restrained for rocking back & forth in a chair. My understanding […]

In a July 31 letter, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan described his reaction to testimony before Congress on the use of restraints and seclusion in public schools. He advised school officials to reform their seclusion and restraint procedures “to ensure that every student in every school is safe and protected”  before the beginning of the […]

The Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congress’ investigative arm, is seeking information about the use of restraints, seclusion, and aversives in public school day programs. The GAO is developing a report for hearings that will be held by House Education Committee Chairman George Miller on this issue.

On Thursday, September 18, Pete and Pam presented a special education law and advocacy training program in Chapel Hill, NC. After checking in, we picked up an email from an old friend who advised that  Disability Rights of North Carolina (DRNC) had just filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Wake County Board of […]