A new bill introduced in the U.S. Senate aims to prohibit schools from using controversial discipline techniques, such as forcibly restraining children and using “scream rooms.”
The Keeping All Student Safe Act, introduced by Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, would apply to all federally funded schools. States would be required to develop plans for managing severe discipline situations. The bill comes in response to criticism of these practices, which Murphy considers to be abusive.
He has previously introduced similar legislation without success, but remains hopeful for a different outcome this time. Some school districts have already taken steps to review or restrict the use of restraint and seclusion. However, the bill does not address the issue of elementary-aged children being arrested in schools, as reported by CBS News. Murphy co-sponsored another bill last year to address these arrests by increasing the presence of counselors in schools, but it also failed to pass.
The release of new data on school discipline from the Department of Education has been delayed due to COVID-19 school closures, and Murphy expresses concern about the potential negative numbers. He believes that the presence of police in schools can lead to the outsourcing of discipline to law enforcement, resulting in children being arrested rather than being handled within the school system.
