Seclusion and Restraint
The Bessemer Board of Education requires that all schools and programs
within the school district comply with State Board of Education Rule
290-3-1-.02(1)(f) regarding the use of“seclusion” or “restraint,” as
those terms are defined within the rule
Seclusion, Mechanical Restraint, Chemical Restraint
The Board of Education prohibits the use of seclusion, mechanical
restraint, and chemical restraint as those terms are defined in State
Board of Education Rule 290-3-1-.02(1)(f).
The Bessemer Board of Education recognizes that in determining when and how to implement this policy and any procedure related to it, educators will be required to exercise their professional judgment and discretion. Therefore, this policy is not intended to be construed as imposing ministerial duties on individual employees. Furthermore, it is not intended to interfere with the duties of law enforcement or emergency medical personnel.For schools and programs within the district that use physical restraint as defined within the State Board of Education rule, the Superintendent or the designee shall develop and implement written procedures governing its use, which shall include at minimum the following:
1. Staff and faculty training on the use of physical restraint and the district’s policy and procedures related thereto;
2. Documentation in written or electronic form of staff and faculty training to the use of physical restraint, including a list of participants in each training. This list must be made available to the Alabama Department of Education or any member of the public upon request;
3. Written parental notification of the use of physical restrain within a reasonable time. Notification should not exceed one school day from the date of the incident;
4. Documentation of the use of physical restraint and a debriefing session held by staff or faculty participating in or supervising the restraint for each student in each instance in which the student is restrained;
5. Periodic review of the use of restraint and the documentation described in paragraph four (4) above;
6. Annual reporting to the Central Office of the use of restraint and the documentation, which should include any prohibited use of chemical, mechanical, seclusion, and physical restraint;
7. Annual submission of the documentation submitted to the Central Office in accordance with paragraph six (6); and
8. Inclusion of the procedures in the school district Code of Conduct and or the school’s student handbook.
The Bessemer Board of Education recognizes that in determining when and how to implement this policy and any procedure related to it, educators will be required to exercise their professional judgment and discretion. Therefore, this policy is not intended to be construed as imposing ministerial duties on individual employees. Furthermore, it is not intended to interfere with the duties of law enforcement or emergency medical personnel.For schools and programs within the district that use physical restraint as defined within the State Board of Education rule, the Superintendent or the designee shall develop and implement written procedures governing its use, which shall include at minimum the following:
1. Staff and faculty training on the use of physical restraint and the district’s policy and procedures related thereto;
2. Documentation in written or electronic form of staff and faculty training to the use of physical restraint, including a list of participants in each training. This list must be made available to the Alabama Department of Education or any member of the public upon request;
3. Written parental notification of the use of physical restrain within a reasonable time. Notification should not exceed one school day from the date of the incident;
4. Documentation of the use of physical restraint and a debriefing session held by staff or faculty participating in or supervising the restraint for each student in each instance in which the student is restrained;
5. Periodic review of the use of restraint and the documentation described in paragraph four (4) above;
6. Annual reporting to the Central Office of the use of restraint and the documentation, which should include any prohibited use of chemical, mechanical, seclusion, and physical restraint;
7. Annual submission of the documentation submitted to the Central Office in accordance with paragraph six (6); and
8. Inclusion of the procedures in the school district Code of Conduct and or the school’s student handbook.