Child in box
Hi. I also have a son with a disabilty, a mild form of autism, so I am completely sympathetic with your problem. You don't indicate where you live and whether your son is in public or private school. I live in California, am licenced in California and D.C., and my son is in school in Maryland, so I am informed about those jurisdictions and school rights generally, although this should not be construed as legal advice. The federal government requires every public school system to provide special education. If the special education program has "punitive" or "disciplinary" measures such as the box you describe, they should tell you what they are and what behavior constitutes sufficient cause for these disciiplinary measures. At no time, may a school place a child in a position where he is not monitored regularly and where he could suffer an injury and not obtain help. Did the door have a window? Was anyone monitoring your son? The fact that the room was dark is troublesome, because how could a teacher or administrator monitor the child if he or she could not see the child? My son was placed in a similar room that was considered a "safe room." But he was monitored the whole time he was there, and the room was not dark. While it hurt my heart for my child to be in the room, it was not dangerous and I could understand that it might be appropriate at times. However, I suspect that my son has a better understanding of what is going on around him than you son does. Terrorizing a child is never permissible. Also, to the extent that a child is placed in a "safe room" type of area, the child should be removed as soon as he or she has calmed down. The school cannot just place a child in such a room and then leave the child there. And the child may not be placed in such a room, just because the teacher needs a rest or a break. Any such room must be used under certain specifically set rules and with set criteria for removal as well. You have the right to request a meeting with your son's teacher(s), the principal of the school, any caregivers or aides that work with your child, a representative from the school system administration to discuss this incident. You should inquire about the use of this room or box, under what circumstances a child may be placed in the room or box, how often the child is monitored (it sounds as if your child should be monitored continuously), what rules there are for removal of the child, any notification to the parents that this has happened, and so forth. You can arrange with the school to contact you immediately if your son exhibits disruptive behavior that they school feels they cannot handle, for example, or make other arrangements about what disciplinary actions are permitted. If the school and the school administration do not answer your questions to your satisfaction, you are entitled to bring the issue up at a hearing on the matter. You should be having at least quarterly meetings with the teachers and staff to work on the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) where these matters are discussed routinely. At those meetings, the school is required to give you information about your legal rights. If the school does not provide you with this information and if the school and staff do not answer your concerns properly, then you may want to consult a lawyer in your area who specializes in education and disability law.
Good luck, and I hope this gets worked out. Raising a special needs child is difficult enough without the prejudiced and ignorant actions of others.