The Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD) Board voted on May 24 to adopt a revised policy on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. The new policy outright bans prone and supine restraints, which can cause injury or even death. Superintendent Dr. Mike Leichliter said in the meeting that no prone or supine restraints had been used in any school in the HUUSD this year and there have been zero instances of seclusion this school year due to the moratorium he put on the practice at the start of the year. He said that 39 total restraints were used in the district from August 29, 2022 to May 22, 2023, compared to 129 restraints and 30 cases of seclusion between August 26, 2021 to May 22, 2022.
“We’ve made tremendous progress this year,” Leichliter said. At the start of the 2022-2023 school year, a task force was assembled to analyze restraint and seclusion in the district and the school board created a policy subcommittee to review and revise the district policy on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. Former special educators and others have been vocal in their opposition to the use of these interventions in HUUSD schools.
The district has worked this year with consultant Dyane Carrere on providing training to use trauma-informed practices and de-escalate situations with students. She visited the district in November and January. The task force has also worked on updating other trainings and focusing on school level crisis teams. Leichliter and student support services director Jon Berliner said the admin’s long-term goals include developing more programming and professional development for school staff.
While prone and supine restraints are banned in the policy, seclusion is not, at least not for the coming school year. An amendment that passed at the previous board meeting stipulated that the specific exception to a ban on seclusion in which the practice is contraindicated for a student would sunset at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Some board members and their constituents felt the new policy doesn’t go far enough. “I am disappointed to see seclusion still in the policy,” said board member Danielle Dukette, Fayston. However, she expressed gratitude to those on the committee and said, “I think it’s a substantial step forward.”
Board member Life LeGeros, Duxbury, echoed Dukette’s disappointment in allowing seclusion under certain circumstances for the coming year. “It was such a tough issue because there was a lot of harm done by our district and probably resulting trauma from that,” he said, though he did note his appreciation for the superintendent’s actions on this issue.
“Thank you to the committee for working so hard,” said board vice chair Kelley Hackett, Waterbury. “It makes me proud to be part of this board,” added board member Jonathan Young, Warren. The policy passed with two ‘no’s’ and one abstaining.
