
A seclusion room in Horn Elementary School in Iowa City
Across the United States, we continue to torture children by throwing them into segregated, solitary confinement, and this happens as often in schools as it does in jails in prisons. Children are disappearing. That children are disappearing is not new. That we continue to disappear children is also not new, but it is shameful, and it’s a shame that reaches every day deeper and deeper into our collective spirit and individual souls.
Last week, the civil rights division of the United States Department of Justice gave formal support to a lawsuit filed last year against the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office for its ongoing and regular practice of placing 16- and 17-year-olds in solitary confinement at the county jail. Last year, the New York Civil Liberties Union and Legal Services of Central New York charged that, between October 2015 and August 2016, the Onondaga County Justice Center dumped 80 teens, mostly youth of color, into solitary confinement. The Department of Justice endorsement of the case noted, “The Civil Rights Division has previously exercised the United States’ authority under CRIPA and Section 14141 to address issues related to the use of solitary confinement on juveniles in jails, including in the Jefferson County Jail in Alabama, the Hinds County Jail in Mississippi, the New York City Department of Correction Jails on Rikers Island, and the Baltimore City Detention Center in Maryland. The Division also has addressed the use of solitary confinement in juvenile detention facilities, including in the Scioto and Marion Juvenile Correctional Facilities in Ohio and the Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center in Mississippi.”
According to Donna Lieberman, NYCLU Executive Director, “The Department of Justice’s involvement shows that what is happening to children at the Justice Center is not simply a tragedy for Syracuse, but it is a national disgrace. Children must be protected from the tortures of solitary confinement.”
The disgrace is not limited to prisons and jails. Last month, a complaint was filed against the Iowa City school district, charging that the district’s use of seclusion rooms violates Federal law, primarily because parents don’t know that the seclusions rooms exist and are being used and because the use of seclusion rooms is broader and more `ordinary’ than the law allows. During the 2013-14 school year, most of the students dumped into solitary confinement were students with diagnosed disabilities and individualized education plans. Half of the students with education plans who were sent to seclusion rooms were Black. Other than students with education plans, ALL of the students dumped into seclusion rooms in the 2013 – 2014 were Black. Black students comprise about 19% of the school population.
The good news, such as it is, is that these dismal mathematics are being challenged, and that occasionally something like decency wins. Torturing children is wrong. Children do matter. So do the adults who surround them. At the same time, consider how much energy, labor, work, investment is required to protect children, our children, your children, their children, from torture, every single day. Every single day, across the United States, children are disappearing, forgotten children who haunt the days and ways of our world.
(Photo Credit: The Gazette)
America’s criminal justice system is broken http://www.lincolntimesnews.com/2017/01/13/americas-criminal-justice-system-broken/
A new look at solitary confinement http://www.providencejournal.com/opinion/20170113/editorial-new-look-at-solitary-confinement
Iowa’s metro school districts studying use of seclusion for student behavior http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/k-12-education/iowas-metro-school-districts-studying-use-of-seclusion-for-student-behavior-20170311
Iowa’s ‘Little Dungeons’ for Kids: Is it Ever OK to Lock a Child in a Box? http://progressive.org/dispatches/iowa’s-little-dungeons-for-kids-is-it-ever-ok-to-lock-a-ch/
Iowa Schools Are Putting Kids in Locked Boxes for Time-Out http://thestir.cafemom.com/parenting_news/207177/iowa_school_seclusion_room_punishment
Schools, Please Stop Locking Kids in Closets http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/schools-please-stop-locking-kids-in-closets_us_59aea949e4b0bef3378cdb35
CR schools complete study on seclusion room use http://www.kcrg.com/video/?vid=470618983&vid=470618983
CR Schools task force recommends continued use of seclusion rooms http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/I9-UPDATE-CR-Schools-task-force-recommends-continued-use-of-seclusion-rooms–470592983.html
Iowa schools’ use of seclusion, restraint has nearly doubled since 2013
http://www.kcrg.com/content/news/I9-UPDATE-Iowa-schools-use-of-seclusion-restraint-up—482213951.html
The small, padded seclusion rooms are gone. What’s next for Iowa City schools? https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/education/2018/10/05/without-padded-seclusion-rooms-iowa-city-schools-turn-pbis/1420989002/
Davenport School District to be recommended for Phase II, a designation typically reserved for non-compliant small districts https://qctimes.com/news/davenport-school-district-to-be-recommended-for-phase-ii-a/article_6310958c-2fea-507a-aa96-e22b040d546a.html
Survey of Davenport school stakeholders finds special ed, engagement with diverse populations as its strengths
https://qctimes.com/news/survey-of-davenport-school-stakeholders-finds-special-ed-engagement-with/article_9ba5f785-be44-54e9-b69f-12007e501c7a.html
ICCSD’s new approach to unruly student behavior had a test run — and funding — a decade ago https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/education/2018/11/19/iccsds-new-approach-discipline-and-behavior-had-push-decade-ago/2054247002/
Iowa schools that seclude students may soon face new rules https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Iowa-schools-that-seclude-students-may-soon-face-new-rules–506185451.html
Seclusion rules bring needed limits and clarity – https://www.thegazette.com/subject/opinion/staff-editorial/iowa-schools-seclusion-rooms-legislature-rules-restraint-transparency-children-mental-health-20190228
Iowa considers rules to limit use of school seclusion rooms https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Iowa-considers-rules-to-limit-use-of-school-seclusion-rooms-506782411.html
Class-action status granted lawsuit over kids’ seclusion https://www.newsobserver.com/news/article227840629.html
Iowa boy who was locked in seclusion testifies: ‘I know I was crying a lot. I felt violated.’ https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2019/06/10/iowa-teens-testify-we-were-locked-filthy-cells-juvenile-school/1382886001/
New Iowa school seclusion rules up for a vote next week – https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/school-seclusion-rooms-iowa-rules-20190726
State seeks compromise on student seclusion rules – https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/education/seclusion-restraint-schools-iowa-education-rules-20190822
Public comment sought on state’s plans to restrict seclusion, restraint in schools https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2019/09/13/when-can-iowa-educators-use-seclusion-rooms-restraints-students-des-moines-public-schools-iowa-city/2304068001/
Public hearings begin on school seclusion, restraint rules https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/public-hearings-begin-on-school-seclusion-restraint-rules/article_9ae3235b-2ce0-5122-a6e1-f9a02c7fc70b.html
State education board moves forward with proposed changes to seclusion rooms https://www.kcrg.com/2020/08/06/state-education-board-moves-forward-with-proposed-changes-to-seclusion-rooms/
Iowa’s Eldora school for troubled teens gets new leader after losing civil rights lawsuit https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/health/2020/08/28/iowas-eldora-school-troubled-boys-gets-new-superintendent-after-losing-civil-rights-lawsuit/5657054002/
Burlington School Board tables F&M Bank decision https://www.thehawkeye.com/story/news/2021/01/12/burlington-school-board-meeting/6635942002/