| Are you the parent of a child with autism that has | | | | the three categories, which can be detrimental to their |
| behavioral difficulty at school? Does your school | | | | education. |
| continually discipline your child for the behavior, rather | | | | 4. More and more school districts are resorting to |
| than trying positive behavioral supports and plans? | | | | calling the police for behavior of children with disabilities. |
| Would you like to learn about a few tactics that some | | | | Children with autism are especially at risk.! |
| special education personnel use in relation to behavior? | | | | Jan. 14, 2008 An ABC news report stated that an 8 |
| This article will give you a few tactics to watch out for | | | | year old Idaho girl with Aspergers was arrested after |
| in advocating for your child. | | | | a scuffle with her teacher. She was taken out of the |
| The Tactics that I have seen are: | | | | school in handcuffs and arrested for battery. Her |
| 1. Suspending children over and over, for more than 10 | | | | mother was horrified at her daughter's treatment, at |
| days at a time, and refusing to consider positive | | | | the hands of special education personnel that were |
| behavioral supports. Special education personnel are | | | | supposed to work with her. The prosecutor Mr. Towry |
| not supposed to rely on punishment in the long term to | | | | refused to press charges! Dr. Pauline Filipek of Irvine |
| change behavior; though it does not work anyway. | | | | California stated that the schools reaction to the |
| 2. Special education personnel often state that the | | | | behavior was inappropriate. The parents are |
| child's behavior is not part of their disability, so that they | | | | considering a law suit against the school district. |
| may give them long term suspensions and expulsions. | | | | 5. More and more school districts are using restraint |
| This review is to determine if the behavior is part of | | | | and seclusion on children with disabilities, for behavioral |
| the child's disability. If not, then the child can be punished | | | | difficulties. Prone restraint (child is face down) has been |
| as if they did not have a disability. Parents must take | | | | linked to quite a few deaths and serious injuries. |
| the MDR process very seriously and advocate for | | | | Seclusion can cause children receiving special |
| their child to prevent this. | | | | education services to develop emotional disturbances. |
| 3. Putting children in an Interim Alternative Educational | | | | Insist that your child's IEP have a statement that |
| Placement (IAES) for behavior that does not fall, under | | | | Restraint or Seclusion will not be used for your child. |
| the three special circumstances category. IDEA allows | | | | By understanding these tactics you will be ready in |
| for placement for 45 days in an IAES for 3 reasons: | | | | case any of these happen to your child. Continue to |
| drugs, dangerous weapon, and causing serious bodily | | | | advocate for the use of positive behavioral supports |
| harm on school property. I have seen many children | | | | which will help your child be educationally successful |
| placed in IAES's for behavior that does not fall under | | | | Good Luck! |