Assemblyman Santabarbara has introduced legislation he says will hold schools more accountable for student safety.
ALBANY, N.Y. (WNYT)- Assemblyman Santabarbara has introduced legislation aimed at protecting students with disabilities, following the resignation of a Schenectady School District librarian pictured with her foot on the back of a special needs student.
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“The transparency is the important part here,” Santabarbara said. “People need to have trust that the school is going to notify them. And this bill says it has to happen that same day, not 24 hours, that same day.”
In addition to requiring that school districts notify parents or guardians the same day when a student is physically restrained, physical force or isolation interventions are used, the bill also:
Prevents the use of enclosures or confinementMandates timeouts be continuously supervised and not used as seclusion or confinementMakes statewide documentation standards for interventionRequires independent review of serious incidents involving students with disabilitiesAllows parents to access incident reports, photographs or video Requires statewide reporting of data to the State Education Department to strengthen transparency, oversight and accountability
Related: Parents furious after librarian seen putting foot on child
Santabarbara, who has a son with autism, said he’s been hearing from concerned parents expressing fear of what may be happening to their kids at school without their knowledge.
“So there’s no communication with parents, no consent for any of these things,” Santabarbara said. “It is unacceptable on so many levels that this bill, it’s very clear this bill is needed.”
For Related Stories: Students with disabilities New York State Department of Education Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara