Charmaine: 1) What is the rule regarding a special education students in general education classrooms. Are they allowed to stay in the classroom if they are disruptive?
2) When your school has a behavior unit, what are the rules regarding special education students that continually become violent in the general education classroom? For example, is it appropriate for a student to stay in a classroom throughout the year even though they consistently cause evacuation of the classroom due to their violent outburst?
3) Is it appropriate or legal for a EA student to be left in the hallway alone….screaming and banging on the wall and floor? Is it appropriate for same student to attend school assemblies where parents are invited to see their children perform during school hours even if he stands in the back and screams out and bangs on the walls?
4) What is the appropriate thing to do if a student is removed from a general education classroom for unsafe behaviors and brought to the behavior unit….. first of all can they be physically escorted to the behavior unit or do you evacuate the room and stay their to do restraints etc….or can you physically escort them against their will to the unit to handle the situation? And, if the student is trying to leave the the room and or the building, can you stop them?
I would really appreciate your help on these matters. I have researched and read the law but it is not clear to me in the situations what the correct and legal thing to do is.
In addition to what Wrightslaw wrote — Charmaine, if you are part of a union, it might be helpful to talk this over with your union representative. You can also read your state’s special education regulations, and have a conversation with the state special ed oversight office’s associate that covers your district. And here are some questions for thought: does your district have a behavioral specialist? Has the disruptive student had a good FBA done? Is there a BIP in place? Do you think it’s written in a helpful way? Is there a parent-teacher organization that has any concerns? Is there a good occupational therapist in the building who might have some suggestions? Have you been able to build any ally relationships in the school?
Charmaine, you have many questions that are specific to your work environment and how problems are handled or not handled.
The federal special ed law does not address these scenarios.The law does not refer to “behavior units.” I suggest you contact your state department of education and request all info they have about children with severe behavior problems. It sounds like you and perhaps your co-workers, need training in how to deal with these students.