Tag Archives: Restraint

Dawg Bones

U.S. PRESIDENTS, TEACHERS AND PHYSICAL RESTRAINT . . .

You never know what you will bump into on the Internet.  I was doing a little light research on how many presidents had served as school teachers.  You get different answers to that question, depending on how you phrase it.  The number of former teachers who became presidents ranged from five to 10. But of the 10, several of them were college professors (Wilson) or law school profs (Clinton, Obama).  When you look for honest-to-God teachers, you get only five.  Four of them taught in the 18th or 19th Century (Adams, Fillmore, Garfield and Cleveland).  The only one to have taught in a 20th Century school was our very own Texan, Lyndon Baines Johnson.

But the most interesting tidbit I came across was about Garfield.  It seems that he did not win the respect of his students until he won a violent, physical fight with a student!  Mon Dieu!! Can you imagine any of the current crop of presidential candidates having that incident on their resume?  Just imagine their responses to Wolf Blitzer’s questions:

WOLF: Governor Bush, we understand that when you were a public school teacher, you once got into a fight with one of your students.  Comment?

BUSH:  Not a fight, Wolf.  Just a bit of redirection.  After all, he was in danger of falling behind.  I followed my brother’s lead, allowing no child to be left behind.

WOLF: Senator Paul, we understand that when you were a public school teacher, you once got into a fight with one of your students.  Comment?

RAND PAUL: Not really, Wolf.  It was simply an exercise in freedom.  I was teaching the students some basic concepts about our Constitution. For example they are free to hit me.  I am free to hit back. Freedom. That’s what it was about.

WOLF: Governor Perry, we understand that when you were a public school teacher, you once got into a fight with one of your students.  Comment?

RICK PERRY: Not so, my friend.  You can’t believe everything you read in the left wing media.

WOLF: Mrs. Clinton: we understand that when you were a public school teacher, you once got into a fight with one of your students.  Comment?

HILLARY CLINTON: Not really a fight, Wolf, just more of a minor tussle.  She was trying to break the glass ceiling, Wolf. Everyone knows that I am the one who is going to break the glass ceiling.  So I took corrective action with the young lady.

WOLF: Senator Cruz, we understand that when you were a public school teacher, you once got into a fight with one of your students.  Comment?

TED CRUZ: He’s in this country illegally, Wolf.  If the federal government would carry out its responsibilities to secure the border, action like this would not be necessary.

WOLF: Governor Christie, we understand that when you were a public school teacher, you once got into a fight with one of your students.  Comment?

CHRIS CHRISTIE: Damn straight.  Beat the tar out of him. You got a problem with that?

We’re guessing that Garfield never had to answer the question.

There is much litigation these days about the use of physical force by teachers.  Advocate groups continue to seek ways to clamp down on the use of physical restraint.  The legislative session will soon be over, and we will see at that time if SB 1584 or any other legislation on this issue makes it to the Governor’s office.

DAWG BONE: KEEP AN EYE ON SB 1584 REGARDING RESTRAINT OF STUDENTS. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dawg Bones

PHYSICAL RESTRAINT

Dear Dawg: We’ve got some folks asking us to promise that we will never use physical restraint on certain kids.  What should we say?

We think you should politely but firmly refuse to promise that physical restraint will never be used with a student.  Oftentimes a request like that comes from caretakers and foster parents of kids in foster care.  It makes sense that caretakers for those kids would ask for this.  Many of those kids have endured horrific abuse from authority figures in the past. It makes sense that their caretakers would try to protect them from any use of physical force from teachers or administrators.

But it is dangerous to promise that physical restraint will never be used on a particular child.  It may be a commitment that you cannot keep.

Keep in mind that physical restraint can be imposed on a student in a Texas public school ONLY in a genuine emergency.  Can you tell me exactly when your next emergency is going to occur?  No?  I didn’t think so.  Emergencies are unpredictable.  You never know when restraint might be needed, and you cannot predict with accuracy the students who may create an emergency.

Our regulations define “emergency” as “a situation in which a student’s behavior poses a threat of (A) imminent, serious physical harm to the student or others; or (B) imminent serious property destruction.”  19 T.A.C. 89.1053(b)(1).

In a nutshell, physical restraint is a tool designed to prevent greater harm. We think it would be foolish to promise that you would never use it.  But do be sure that parents are aware that this is something that 1) is done only in an emergency; 2) that they will be notified of it promptly, and in writing; and 3) each incident of physical restraint will be documented in the child’s folder and available for review at the annual ARD meeting.

DAWG BONE: PHYSICAL RESTRAINT IS A TOOL DESIGNED TO PREVENT GREATER HARM.