Professional Practice and Ethical Issues Related to Physical Restraint and Seclusion in Schools

Abstract

Use of physical restraint and seclusion procedures in schools continues to be controversial, and foster proposals for federal and state legislation and regulation. Despite much discussion about what policies are needed, there has been little discussion about the professional practice issues and the ethical issues related to these practices. The purpose of this report is to present six clusters of professional practice and ethical issues that have not heretofore been specifically identified. To do so, we will examine the codes of professional practice and ethics of organizations representing educators who work with students with severe behavioral challenges. To illustrate these issues, we use real-world case examples from media stories and official reports about problems resulting from restraint and seclusion. Although individuals may disagree regarding decisions about these ethical issues, these questions should be a part of any policy discussion related to professional practice regarding these issues, and they have rarely been addressed in the restraint and seclusion policy debate. In addition, they are also questions that must be examined by all professional educators for them to assure adherence to the professional practice and ethical codes for their field.

Factors affecting professional ethics development in students: A qualitative study

“…Several factors such as appropriateness of ethical teaching, trained ethical content, personal characteristics, and so on can influence professional ethics development in health sciences students. 12,13 Studies in Iran indicate that health sciences students suffered from ethical stress when making ethical decisions in clinical settings. 14 It seems that part of this incompetence is reflected in the educational system and lack of appropriate development of professional ethics in students during the study.…”

Seclusion and Restraint of Students With Disabilities: A 1-Year Legal Review

“…Policy guidance from the U.S. Department of Education states that “incidents of child misbehavior and classroom disruptions, as well as violations of a code of student conduct, may indicate that the child’s IEP needs to include appropriate behavioral supports” (Swenson & Ryder, 2016); however, this review indicates that seclusion and restraint for students with disabilities are topics of great importance, but little planning or appropriate action is taken. Scheuermann, Peterson, Ryan, and Billingsley (2015) found six clusters of ethical issues related to seclusion and restraint:(a) potential for death or injury; (b) failure to use the least intrusive intervention; (c) inappropriate restrictions on liberty and removal from access to education; (d) repeated use of a potentially dangerous and ineffective intervention; (e) disproportionate use with certain groups; and (f) insufficient professional training, supervision, and monitoring. (p. 3)…”

Policy and Program Considerations for Choosing Crisis Intervention Programs

“…GAO, 2009). The improper use of these procedures has resulted in reports of students harming themselves, or suffering severe injuries or death (Masters et al, 2002; Scheuermann et al, 2016). Most of the vendors reported that they routinely allot time to discuss seclusion procedures and risks during training.…”

“…The use of seclusion and restraint procedures in schools continues to garner negative attention across the United States, especially in light of the numerous allegations of misuse and abuse with students. Scheuermann and colleagues (2016) identified a half dozen professional and/or ethical issues related to the use of seclusion and/or restraint. Three major categories of ethical issues identified were insufficient or inadequate training, supervision, and monitoring.…”

“…A common concern among many program directors, administrators, and other educators has been the increased level of challenging student behavior they face during the school day, ranging from noncompliance to dangerous behavior such as assault and property destruction (Cuellar, 2018; Scheuermann, Peterson, Ryan, & Billingsley, 2016). Behavioral challenges in the general education environment have been exacerbated over the past few decades, as general education teachers lacking extensive behavior management training are now teaching students with significant emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges in their classrooms (Freeman, Simonsen, Briere, & MacSuga-Gage, 2014; Oliver & Reschly, 2010).…”