'SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT' Trauma lingers for FCPS students who experienced repeated seclusion and restraint

 

It was the first day of third grade, and James had been in school for 19 minutes.

By 9:20 a.m., the 8-year-old was locked in a padded, closet-sized room. He’d remain there, alone, for nearly three hours.

Though Maryland law is clear that no child may be kept in seclusion for more than 30 minutes, Frederick County Public Schools seemed to have found a loophole. In their logbook, staff recorded James’ seclusion time that day in half-hour chunks, according to discipline records provided by his mother and examined by The Frederick News-Post: 9:20 to 9:50. Then 9:51 to 10:21. Then 10:22 to 10:52. On and on until 12:08 p.m...

https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/continuing_coverage/seclusion_and_restraint_in_fcps/trauma-lingers-for-fcps-students-who-experienced-repeated-seclusion-and-restraint/article_4834bf96-d874-57e1-8793-a34b5a697228.html