Proposal would curb in-school restraint

Posted on April 14, 2021
State Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). (Photo courtesy: Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – The blockbuster story of in-school seclusion rooms is getting a legislative response.

A Senate committee has sent this bill to the floor. State Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) says, “It creates a grant program to help our schools slowly move away from trauma-inducing interventions and move toward positive interventions. It creates better reporting to (the Illinois State Board of Education) as well as more opportunities for the parents to be aware of what interventions are being applied to their children.”

Schools are now allowed to isolate a student who could be a danger to others or himself or herself, but investigations have found some just use it as punishment for misbehavior. Gillespie’s bill would outlaw prone restraint, citing the threat to one’s breathing.

SB 2296 has passed the Senate Education Committee.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]. 

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