Districts are prohibited from using types of interventions which are harmful to a student’s health or welfare such as interventions which likely cause pain, which deny a student adequate sleep, food, water, shelter, bedding, physical comfort, or access to bathroom facilities; or which are likely to subject your child to verbal abuse, ridicule or humiliation; or which can be expected to cause your child excessive emotional trauma.[1]
If you believe that your child’s school is using one of the unlawful types of interventions on your child such as repeatedly using restraint or seclusion or other intervention on them or calling the police without providing your child with an individualized positive behavior support, you should consider 1) filing a complaint with the California Department of Education (CDE) or 2) contacting an advocate or special education attorney.[2]
- Cal. Ed. Code Sec. 56521.1(d).[↩]
- See also Chapter 15, Information on the Rights of Students with Behavioral Needs and Students Who are Bullied.[↩]