There are many factors that have contributed to an over-reliance on restraint and seclusion procedures in schools. There’s no question that many students are unavailable for learning, are not medically or behaviorally stable, and respond to frustration in ways that are extremely aggressive and violent. But there are other factors that have little to do with characteristics of the kids. For example, much of the training that school staff receive to help them prevent crises are actually primarily focused on managing crises. Staff have also been led to believe that such training helps keep them and their students safer, when there are actually no data supporting this claim. And many staff are still viewing challenging behavior through old, inaccurate lenses and still relying on traditional behavior management procedures, which can actually precipitate challenging episodes. Moving in a different direction requires new lenses, new timing, and new practices.

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