Action Alert--Bill allows isolation for Special Education students

Wednesday, February 10, legislation may be heard that would allow students receiving Special Education services to be locked in isolation.

The Tennessee Disability Coaltion sums up some of the key points in this bill:

• This bill would make it legal to lock a special education student – of any age or diagnosis – in isolation at risk to their health and safety

• Contradicts health and safety codes that prohibit locking students in an educational facility without a way out

• A child could be locked in an isolation room without parental notification

• There is no requirement in the bill that locked isolation only be used in an emergency situations

• With a locked door, a student is trapped with no mechanism to call for help if they are forgotten – even for a minute or two – by school personnel

• Places all special education students at risk of locked isolation

If your representative sits on the Education K-12 Subcommittee, we encourage you to send him or her an email or call to oppose House Bill 2538.

Bill Sponsors of HB 2538/SB 2517
Rep. Glen Casada R-63 Parts of Williamson Co. (615) 741-4389
Sen. Jack Johnson R-23 Williamson and parts of Davidson (615) 741-2495

House Education, K-12 Subcommittee
*represents part of a county
Les Winningham rep.leslie.winningham@capitol.tn.gov , Chair
D-38
Clay, Jackson, Picket, Scott and Anderson*
(423) 286-9090

Ron Lollar rep.ron.lollar@capitol.tn.gov , Vice-Chair
R-99
Shelby*
(615) 741-7084

Judy Barker rep.judy.barker@capitol.tn.gov 
D-77
Obion, Lake, Dyer*
(615) 741-0718

Tommie Brown rep.tommie.brown@capitol.tn.gov  
D-28
Hamilton*
(615) 741-4374

Bill Dunn rep.bill.dunn@capitol.tn.gov  
R-16
Knox*
(615) 741-1721

Beth Harwell rep.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov 
R-56
Davidson*
(615) 741-0709

David Hawk rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov
R-5
Unicoi, Greene*
(615) 741-7482

Joey Hensley rep.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov 
R-70
Lawrence, Lewis, Wayne*
(615) 741-7476

Ulysses Jones rep.ulysses.jones@capitol.tn.gov 
D-98
Shelby*
(615) 741-4575

Mark Maddox rep.mark.maddox@capitol.tn.gov 
D-76
Weakly, Carroll*
(615) 741-7847

Johnnie Turner rep.johnnie.turner@capitol.tn.gov 
D-85
Shelby*
(615) 741-6954

Terri Lynn Weaver rep.terri.lynn.weaver@capitol.tn.gov  
R-40
DeKalb, Smith, Macon
(615) 741-2192