Seclusion rooms for students: Minnesota lawmakers push to reverse partial ban

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The debate over seclusion rooms in Minnesota schools is heating up again as lawmakers discuss whether to allow their use for younger students.

Lawmakers revisit seclusion room ban for young students

What we know:

In 50 Minnesota school districts, teachers can send students with disabilities who lose emotional control to seclusion rooms. These rooms must be at least 6 by 5 feet in size, well-lit, and well-ventilated. They’re required to have a window for observation and are locked from the outside. Supporters say this separation can sometimes keep everyone safe.

They’re supposed to be used as a last resort in an emergency, and not for discipline, but FOX 9 uncovered state data showing that seclusion rooms are most often used on minority children and younger kids, and they were often used as a form of punishment.

The Minnesota Department of Education has recommended a full ban on seclusion rooms. However, a new bill would allow them again for students in third grade and younger, but with a plan to fully ban them by 2036.

"This 10-year window ensures that no district or school is forced to navigate this transition in isolation," Kate Hulse, Social and Emotional Learning Director for Intermediate District 917 says.

Perspective and the controversy

What they're saying:

Sen. Judy Seeberger, who has a personal connection to the issue, is pushing for the expansion.

"Nobody wants it. We all want to see it gone from our toolbox. But what we recognized is there is no good alternative at this moment to fill that gap," said Sen. Seeberger, DFL-Afton, who has a son who says he benefited from seclusion.

Several parents and paraprofessionals shared different experiences, saying seclusion rooms caused more harm than good.

Molly Hoffard, a former paraprofessional, said, "I did not see any behavior improve using the seclusion rooms and instead witnessed a sickening, unending cycle."

Amanda Schermerhorn from Detroit Lakes added, "My child is not just a number, he's a human being with hopes and fears, just like you or I. He is just unable to communicate those in the traditional sense. Being placed in a room to be observed in a school setting like an animal is unacceptable."

Seeberger pointed to recent data showing an increase in physical holds and injuries in the first year after banning seclusion rooms for younger students. Still, other parents of children on the autism spectrum believe there are better ways to handle these situations if schools invest in them.

What's next:

The bill to expand seclusion room use for younger students – with parental permission required through sixth grade – faces a tough road in the Senate and does not have a matching bill in the House yet.