Recognizing the harm associated with restraints in schools.

Whereas there were 70,833 American public school students subjected to physical restraint throughout the 2017 to 2018 school year; Whereas the Government Accountability Office’s report on seclusions and restraints revealed at least 20 student fatalities linked to incorrect restraint techniques since 2009; Whereas trauma resulting from physical restraint can interrupt and impede a child’s brain development throughout early childhood; Whereas elementary school-age children are sometimes too small to be restrained using standard handcuffs and are forced into unnatural, uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous positions, such as being restrained by their biceps; Whereas physical restraints may trigger short-term problems in sleep, learning, relationship building, and trust; Whereas physical force can create a lasting distrust of adults and authority figures and has the potential to breed aggressive tendencies into adulthood; Whereas some children who experienced physical restraints at an early age in a school setting were hospitalized after experiencing suicidal thoughts, while others were hospitalized for their bruises and physical injuries; Whereas the Department of Education noted that restraints have not been shown to alter behavior; Whereas secondary traumatic stress is defined as trauma developed by individuals who are exposed to the trauma of others through their professional roles; Whereas law enforcement officers witness trauma daily, which increases the likelihood of developing post-traumatic stress disorder and other traumatic symptomatology; and Whereas educators, administrators, educator support professionals, school resource officers, and law enforcement officers may experience secondary trauma as a result of witnessing or administering restraints on a child: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) recognizes the harm associated with restraints in schools, including— (A) the short-term consequences of restraint experienced by children, such as— (i) difficulties sleeping, learning, and socializing; (ii) mood instability; (iii) academic difficulties; and (iv) bruises, discomfort, suicidal ideation, and even death; (B) the long-term consequences of restraint experienced by children, such as— (i) development of trauma; (ii) distrust toward authority figures, such as teachers, officers, and administrators; (iii) interrupted brain development; and (iv) aggressive tendencies in adolescence and adulthood; and (C) the development of secondary traumatic stress disorder in law enforcement officers, which may result in— (i) burnout; (ii) compassion fatigue; (iii) vicarious trauma; and (iv) other trauma symptomatology; (2) encourages local and State governments to implement rules, legislation, and trainings to prohibit the use of physical restraints on young children in schools in order to create a safer learning environment and increase transparency between schools and families; and (3) acknowledges the secondary stress injuries of educators, education support professionals, administrators, school resource officers, and law enforcement officers across the United States and moves toward substantial change through open and frequent policy discussion.

Summary: This resolution recognizes the harm associated with restraints in schools. It also encourages local and state governments to prohibit the use of physical restraints on young children in schools.