Virginia Passes Bill To Rein In Restraints Of School Kids

Virginia lawmakers have passed a bill requiring state leaders to set limits on how public schools can restrain or isolate students.

Last summer, ProPublica and NPR reported that new federal data showed the practices – which can include pinning down or tying up students or locking them alone in dark rooms – were used more than 267,000 times nationwide in the 2012 school year. Hundreds of children are injured each year and at least 20 have died as a result.

Our story featured an autistic boy, Carson Luke, who had his hand and foot broken while being forced into a seclusion room at a Virginia public school for students with disabilities. His mother, Heather, testified at a recent state hearing on the bill. She said she's "tickled" about the legislation "because I can tell Carson that the people of Virginia listened to him and they're trying to take care of the kids."

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