Florida Bans Seclusion, Some Restraints on students

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After years of fighting to get this law passed, parents and advocates of children with disabilities say they have finally won a big victory for their kids after Gov. Ron DeSantis bans using seclusion and in most cases restraints for students with special needs.

House bill 149 prohibits school districts from using seclusion on students with disabilities.

The bill also creates a three-year pilot program in Broward County that would allow parents the ability to request a camera to be installed in their child’s classroom, so they can make sure their child is being treated properly.

President of the Florida Autism Society Stacey Hoaglund says parents and advocates have been fighting for this bill for more than a decade.

“Teachers will need to be trained, in positive behavior intervention instead of immediately resorting to ‘I’m going to restrain you,’” Hoaglund said.

Hoaglund says some school districts even use what they call mechanical restraints which are things like handcuffs and zip ties.

But this law now states that schools cannot use them in a way that restricts breathing or blood flow or that places a student in a facedown position.

But what the law does not do, Hoaglund says, is ban them outright.