U.S. Department
of Justice
Resources
Coverage of DOJ Investigations:
ALASKA
- DOJ finds Anchorage School District used improper restraint and seclusion techniques on students (Alaska's News Source) (Feb. 2023)
- U.S. Justice Department finds Anchorage School District illegally restrained and secluded students (Anchorage Daily News) (Feb. 2023)
FLORIDA
- Justice Department secures settlement with Okaloosa School District to protect students (Niceville.com) (Jan. 2023)
- U.S. settles with Florida school district to protect students with disabilities (United Press International) (Dec. 2022)
INDIANA
IOWA
- Fewer students being restrained in Cedar Rapids schools (Jun. 2023)
- Cedar Rapids Schools gives update on DOJ settlement (KCRG 9 News) (Feb. 2023)
- Cedar Rapids schools coaching special education teachers under Justice Department settlement (The Gazette) (Feb. 2023)
KANSAS
- DOJ, Wichita schools reach settlement in race, disability discrimination investigation (The Wichita Eagle) (Jul. 2024)
MARYLAND
- Hogan will allow bill banning seclusion to become law | Seclusion and restraint in FCPS (Frederick News Post) (Apr. 2022)
- Maryland bans seclusion four months after US DOJ investigation into Frederick County Public Schools’ seclusion practices (Frederick News Post) (Apr. 2022)
- Trauma lingers for FCPS students who experienced repeated seclusion and restraint | Seclusion and restraint in FCPS (Frederick News Post) (Jan. 2022)
WASHINGTON
- Spokane schools' use of restraints, isolation, violated civil rights of special needs students (The Spokesman-Review) (Apr. 2023)
- U.S. Department of Justice announces settlement with SPS over isolation, restraint against students (KREM 2) (Apr. 2023)
National News Coverage:
- Disciplinary measures used by Kansas' largest school district discriminated against Black and disabled students, DOJ says (CNN) (Jul. 2024)
- Discipline used in Kansas' largest school district was discriminatory, the Justice Department says (Washington Post) (Jul. 2024)
- CT schoolchildren restrained, secluded tens of thousands of times (Times Union) (Nov. 2022)
- Controversial and often used, these little-known practices cause harm, even death, among U.S. schoolchildren (Times Union) (Oct. 2022)
- Restrictions on harmful school practices have stalled in Congress (Times Union) (Oct. 2022)
- With thousands of kids secluded & restrained, Congress again tries to ban practices (KOMO News) (March 2022)
- UPDATE: Justice Department finds FCPS violated federal law in restraining, secluding students with disabilities (Yahoo! News) (Dec. 2021)
- District No Longer Secludes Students with Disabilities (US News & World Report) (Dec. 2020)
- How Some Schools Restrain or Seclude Students (NPR) (June 2019)
Guidance Documents:
Additional Resources:
Updated July 10, 2024