Political Quotes

“Today I rise to commend Chairman Miller and Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers for their work and dedication on this issue. We all want our children to have the highest quality education and educational experience available. That cannot happen in an environment where students, paraprofessionals, teachers and administrators are not safe. This bill establishes standards that will ensure that those in classroom settings are safe and will prevent and reduce inappropriate restraint and seclusion by establishing minimum safety standards in schools, similar to protections already in place in hospitals and non- medical community-based facilities. By establishing minimum standards for situations that require the seclusion of students, this bill offers support to the nineteen states that have no standards set for such situations. Special education students are at a higher risk of being harmfully restrained. Because minority children are disproportionately placed in special education, this bill will offer them protection against harmful actions such as being denied food in order to punish or preempt behaviors. By setting minimum standards that apply to the whole student body, H.R. 4247 protects students without singling out anyone or placing a stigma on a child or a group of children. I am sensitive to the concerns of those who worry that they may lose the ability to implement certain behavioral interventions.…”