A bill proposed in Missouri would ban the use of seclusion rooms for students with disabilities.

The rooms, also known as time-out rooms, have been the subject of recent controversy. A report released in January from the National Disability Rights Network indicated that seclusion and restraints can cause physical and emotional injuries and even death. And several parents have filed lawsuits alleging that the use of seclusion rooms harmed their children.

In addition to banning seclusion rooms, the Missouri bill also asks the state’s education department to create regulations governing restraint and time-outs for students in special education, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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Previous stories on this topic:

States Move To Regulate Discipline (January 26, 2009)

Schools’ Restraint And Seclusion Tactics Cause Injury, Death, Report Says (January 14, 2009)

Time-Out Rooms: Helpful Or Harmful? (December 22, 2008)

Time-Out Needed On Time-Out Rooms (October 20, 2008)

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