The Special School District of St. Louis County recently announced changes to its restraint and seclusion policies for the 2026-2027 school year, following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
SSD says it will eliminate its use of “seclusion and supine restraint in all SSD schools, programs, partner districts, and contracted partner settings.” SSD also says that physical restraint will continue only “when the student’s behavior poses an imminent danger of physical harm to the student or another person.”
This change comes after a DOJ investigation found SSD’s seclusion and restraint practices discriminated against students with disabilities and violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The investigation claimed that during the two-year investigation, SSD secluded over 300 students almost 4,000 times and restrained almost 150 students nearly 800 times.
“Parents should not have to worry that their children could be subjected to solitary confinement and dangerous restraint techniques at school because of their disabilities,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillion of the Civil Rights Division said when the findings were released.
Kennedy Hunt P.C. litigates seclusion and restraint issues and currently represents a minor child with disabilities in a case against Rockwood School District and SSD.
According to the lawsuit, our client was repeatedly excluded from education on multiple occasions to punish him for behaviors consistent with his disabilities. The lawsuit also claims Rockwood School District and SSD used a blue mat to restrain and exclude our client on at least one occasion without the parent’s consent. The lawsuit alleges that our client developed PTSD as a result of his experiences at school.
Our skilled attorneys are experts in education law. If you or someone you know has been a victim of discrimination based on disability, Kennedy Hunt, P.C. may be able to help you. Fill out a questionnaire so we can understand your claim.