Prescott Unified School District officials plan to dismantle a padded room at Lincoln Elementary School that has been a part of the "self-contained emotionally disturbed student program" for more than 12 years.
PUSD Superintendent Kevin told The Daily Courier this week that the district had never received a "parent complaint about using the room when their child becomes violent."
That does not seem to be the case anymore.
Parent/special needs student advocate Ray Parenteau said he got his first look at the room more than a week ago when a parent of a special needs student tipped him off about it.
Parenteau said the six-foot by six-foot room is "horrific."
Kapp said Friday evening that officials from the Department of Education's Flagstaff office inspected the isolation room May 22. He said the DofE would issue two reports - one about the collection of data and the other a letter of recommendations.
However, even before receiving those reports, Kapp said district officials "decided to shut down the isolation room. We decided two things, one not to use the safety room (anymore) and to dismantle the room."
Kapp said crews would probably dismantle the room next week.
In addition to dismantling the room, the superintendent said district officials contacted the Department of Education for help in developing procedures to deal with violent/emotionally disturbed children.
Kapp said, "We haven't received any complaints from parents, but on the other hand, the use of seclusion rooms is very much in the public spotlight. The feeling is that they are not needed."
The isolation room at Lincoln Elementary is the only one in the district, he said.
Kapp said both special education teachers at Lincoln "are trained and certified in non-violent crisis intervention."
Non-violent crisis intervention includes talking students down and non-violent restraint methods.
Kapp said after dismantling the room, the school would have to develop other ways to handle violent special needs students. This could include calling the Prescott Police Department, which is the procedure at the middle schools.
On Friday evening, Parenteau said, "I think it is reprehensible that Kapp would say the district has to find another way to deal with the student's violent behavior. These students are not violent. They are 6 to 11 years old."
Parenteau said the district has two board-certified behavior analysts on contract. He said district officials might need to call them in to provide teachers with better ways to handle children's unacceptable behavior.
He added that different ways exist to handle special education students and the district should turn to the experts and provide support to the teachers and staff who are working with the students.
The superintendent said the Department of Education became involved in the situation for two reasons: A district request that officials inspect the room and interview teachers, and a call from a parent that visited the room.
Posted: Friday, September 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Sue Johnson
These rooms are the most dispicable things I have ever seen. School staff will justify these padded closets by saying *its just like timeout rooms*. People in prison get treated better then these children with disabilites. If schools would provide appropriate services and spend the money they are using to fight parents to not provide these children services AND incorporate positive behavirol intervention plans as required under IDEA (the law that is suppose to protect special needs children)there would not be a need for these padded closets. One of these padded closets were used on my son at the age of 7 & 8 for minor infractions such as being disruptive, not following directions, etc. The more they put him in there the more his behaviors escalated until he got violent and then the longer they would keep him in there. He spent up to 6 hours in this padded closet and ended up in a psychiatric hospital 3 times while in this placement. My son isnow 20 years old and still carries the scars of this abuse. He is diagnosed with Post Tramatic Stress over being locked in this padded closet. These rooms are ABUSE and the professionals that use these rooms need to be charged with abuse. Parents, Advocates and Parent Attorneys need to band together to get these padded closets shut down across the nation. Any parent that is facing a school that uses these padded closets needs to put in writing to the school that this abuse is not to be inflicted on their child. Make sure you hand deliver to the school and get a dated and signed copy given back to you. WAKE UP and lets stop allowing these schools to stop treating our disabilied children like animals.
Posted: Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Article comment by:
Jason
I will put it simply and to the point. I have read a lot here on this topic and I'm very disappointed that anyone, especially a parent, would believe that separation / isolation or putting kids in padded closets is acceptable. I don't care what the real story is. I would expect people, especially teachers and principals to be better educated and learn how to properly handle special needs kids. My son is Autistic, I would be in jail if I thought someone was putting my son in a closet. Though he is special needs, he can be corrected and he does learn and though he may not agree with you on what you might think is right, wrong or appropriate, he can learn your expectations with a little time and patience. Doesn't mean he will agree and suddenly stop being an autistic child. If any were so emotionally hurt or put out because my son needs a little more attention to learn, I would rather you call me and I will take him out of your school and find a better place for him to learn where adults are more qualified to educate and handle him. To the teacher that got spit at and kicked - So What! You chose your job. I get shot at and blown up, deployed and separated from my family for months at a time. Little kids kick us too and people spit at us and throw rocks and take our humanitarian efforts and then harbor terrorist that will try to kill us. Suck it up. I wouldn’t just let you put me in a closet either. Special needs are labeled as such for a reason. If they were like all the other kids, they wouldn't be labeled as special needs. I am fully capable in disciplining my children and would not tolerate this or any type of corporal punishment or anything along that lines.
Posted: Friday, June 19, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I worked at Lincoln and had cause to see kids in this room on many occasions. I read Mr. Bates' statements and found myself laughing a little having seen him cluelessly try to reason and wrestle with kids who cannot see reason if it was as plain as the nose on their little faces. I myself have been cussed at, spat at, kicked at getting to that silly room and nothing really ever got resolved once we got there. I find it sad but typical that Mr. Bates never made mention publicly of not liking this Safety Room before the issue was raised publicly and now all of a sudden he wants a better solution.
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Hope Santos
I can not believe you people! First Mr Bates I want to personally thank you for the R & R program at Lincoln Elementary school its done wonders for my son, even if only in small baby steps. Second to Mr Parenteau, sir did it ever come to your mind possible that phsyically disability and autisim are not the only problems facing our children today??? I have a son who is in fact in the program that used the isolation room at Lincoln, he is Manic Bipolar and has problems at times controling his behavior. Not once during the time my child was in that class did I see a child who was "handicapped" or "unable to speak". THESE CHILDREN HAVE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. Do not blast Mr Bates or a school or for that fact the entire school district based on your opinion. This room is no different then what they use in hospitals or other schools in this state. If anything it protected my child and the staff in a time of true crisis. I tell you Mr. Parenteau, you don't advocate for my child. You don't know my child or his needs.
And just for the record on more than one occasion during the few times my son was placed in isolation I was present or came to the school and never once felt that the staff at the school mistreated my child! And I don't view this as inhumian, it is saving my child from doing real harm to himself or for that fact anyone around him. Educate yourself beyond what your personal hell is and step into my. Trying facing a child who at 7 states he want to kill himself!
Posted: Monday, June 15, 2009
Article comment by:
Suzanne
Re:NO NAME PROVIDED
The circumstances surrounding the fact that the Special Education Director that I stated was not based on PUSD mis-information. It was based on a conversation that I had with Mr. Balcerak, a good man who worked hard for the children of this district. He did receive a Reduction In Force (RIF) letter....(which by the way is in violation of district policy). He went to the administration and governing board and asked if he would have a job in the Fall. He needed to know whether or not to secure the lease on his home. He was told they could not confirm that by his deadline. He was essentially let go, they can't function without a director of special education. The decision was made because the district thought they could put in one of their own. They didn't want Dan, they wanted a puppet.
Posted: Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Article comment by:
SPED Director was RIFed and choose not to come back.
He was RIFed and chose not to come back. Dan was a good man that would of never came here had he known the mess that will be known as the Kapp legacy for decades to come. If you have kids and google PUSD you probably will not want to move here or be the SPED director under Kapp. Prescott is a great town for retirees not so great for families who want a good school system.
Posted: Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Suzanne: There is a world of difference between being let go and choosing to leave. The special ed director was looking for a new job for months. That fact was widely known. Just more mis-information from PUSD.
Posted: Monday, June 08, 2009
Article comment by:
Suzanne
RE: In the Know
The sad fact is that Arizona continues to function 49 out of 50 in education. Therefore, they continue to function without proper training and education for their staff and ADMINISTRATION regarding the management of emotionally disturbed and/or handicapped students. Sadly, there is no law in Arizona to forbid use of this type of room. Other more enlightened states such as New Mexico, have evolved. If you need evidence that PUSD and it's administration has not evolved just check into how many families have filed due process and legal action against the district. The one bright spot this year has been a new director of Special Education who came from outside the district. Of course, this ADMINISTRATION and BOARD didn't want a fresh perspective or a trained professional...so after one year, he was let go.
Posted: Thursday, June 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Bev
From a Grandparent of a special needs kid who was never told about these "rooms" I am appalled that Mr. Kapp can say that he never received any complaints from the families. It is because we were never told about them. We were never told that our little one was put in this room. We were told however that he was slammed against the wall while being "non-forceable" restrained, and for which we did complain. Of course we didn't learn about from the school we learned about it from the child.
Posted: Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Article comment by:
DO YOU UNDERSTAND BEHAVIORS AND WHY THEY HAPPEN?
State Sup. Tom Horne said it should be removed. I Wonder why?
Children with disabilities are sometimes left open to potential abuse when those who are charged with their care do not understand the difference between "bad behavior" and "behavior as communication". The term "behavior as communication" refers to a child's effort to communicate dislikes, needs, desires, etc. but cannot do so because of a communication deficit (ie. no speech, limited speech). Sometimes happiness can look the same as sadness, anger the same as excitement...emotions can be very hard to distinguish.
When a child's "behavior" is seen merely as bad behavior and not as an effort to communicate, the child can become even more frustrated thus causing escalation. Adults who are not properly trained to distinguish these "behaviors" or to decipher the "communication" attempts can sometimes escalate the child to a critical point when the use of physical and/or mechanical restraint comes into play.
Imagine that you cannot express your thoughts in a way that others can easily understand. Now, imagine that you are a child who cannot communicate your fears, likes, dislikes, or pain. Imagine being misunderstood constantly. Imagine having others schedule every moment of your life without knowing what you would like to do. This is reality for some children. Is it any wonder that these children get frustrated?
Posted: Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Article comment by:
A concerned parent on the East Coast
I too believe that this particular isolation room is something out of the middle ages and draconian at best. HOWEVER, Here's a novel idea: Some of these people who are putting in their two cents worth here should spend a week or two working in one of these self-contained classrooms. Perspective is everything. Please give these Special Ed teachers and aides the tools that they need -- AND the appreciation and praise that they deserve.
Posted: Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Raymond Parenteau
For the record, I will always sign my name if I am going to make a post. As a so called special education advocate, as Mr. Bates would call me, I was alarmed and dismayed when I saw the padded seclusion box with the large lock on it. I find it disheartening that he felt the need to reassure the community at large that during his tenure no child from the regular education pool was ever locked in the box. I suppose knowing that they only locked children with disabilities in the box should enable us to all rest easily now. From the mass of comments regarding this story, one thing has become clear, standard operating procedures must be changed. Children with disabilities and neuro-diversity are/is here to stay. We cannot expect, even teachers with special education degrees, to have all the answers and the expertise to deal with everything that can or could be thrown at them. That is why the District needs to bring in experts to support the staff that works so hard to provide our children with an education. The great majority, if not all of the children with disabilities do not make a cognizant decision to do the wrong thing. They just have not been taught the appropriate response to a situation they deem adverse. Until we have instructional control, no learning can take place, when you have instructional control, there will be no need for a box with a lock on it. De-escalation training tactics sounds fine, but training to modify behaviors and avoid conflict sounds even better for the long run, for everyone involved. Expertise is available, it is time to utilize this option.
Posted: Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Article comment by:
Bucky Bates, Principal, Lincoln School
Dear Readers and Commentors,
Lincoln School has been "run through the ringer" by the so called Special Education Advocates and ABC NEWS 15, plus all of those out there who would like to believe that Lincoln School is a barbaric place. Just to set the record 100 percent straight, no child from Lincoln School regular education during my tenure as Principal has ever been in the Safety Room. The room is minimally used for our District ED program generally with the door opened and never without complete supervision. Lincoln School is a beautiful place where real learning and development happens. Such great things take place here and our reputation speaks for itself. Parents of the ED Program have been so helpful and supportive of the processes that we have in place. We have dismantled the Safety Room and contacted the Arizona Dept. of Education Support Cadre to help us to develop further protocols in the de-escalation of violent children. I want to thank Superintendent Kapp and the PUSD Special Education Director in their help and support through this process. I also want to give kudos to my top notch ED Program staff who are dedicated and loving teachers and para-pros who actually have developed a program that is truely therapeutic in nature.
Posted: Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Article comment by:
Seen the Pictures?
No one is saying that some kids even teachers (regular or SPED) dont need a PLACE to cool down. BUT NOT A PADDED JAIL CELL THAT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A CONCENTRATION CAMP. Padded walls electronic locks.
Has anyone seen the pictures of it???
Not one child in these classes have a BIP. Behavior Intervention Plan that calls for restraint and seclusion in this cell.
Ask the district. Train not restrain. I don't think the Autism class at Washington has one. Reason: The teachers are trained by experts, know there job and a do a fantastic one too!!
There are better less barbaric ways than the pictures I have seen of this. Its not right.
Posted: Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Article comment by:
Jen who loves
I have been an educator for 13 years and have been in danger and have had students in danger from violent student outbursts. 6-11 year olds can be a danger to anyone when their in a rage. I know that the padded room is a LAST resort at Lincoln and it's more like a time out room. Ever tried a basket hold on a kicking, punching, biting, 125 lb boy...doesn't work. However, a time out in a room where they can't hurt themselves or anyone else... sometimes necessary. Having my own children experience these violent outbusrt in their classroom is frightening...my child does not feel safe in her classroom when a student is throwing a desk and books around. It is not fair that my child be put in that situation. My child has every right to have an education as do any special need children. Where is my child's right? Who's going to stand up for my child? The teachers have 28 other students in the classroom ready to learn and it is near impossible to tend to the viloent child while ignoring the other 28...So what about the other 28!!! Who is going to stand up for them. I'm thinking no name is not "in the know" about actually being in the classroom...just like I'm not in the know about being in a courtroom...at least I don't act like I am. As for the Ignorance in Prescott..sound's like your child might have been removed from Mile High...which happens to be a fantastic school. I know that NONE of PUSD schools pick and choose their students...nor their parents.
