Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • October 26, 2011 Midland Park The Midland Park Board of Education has approved a new policy and a related regulation regarding the use of physical restraint on students in emergency situations. Acknowledging that the board strives School board approves physical restraint policy to provide a safe, caring atmosphere, the policy states that, “on occasion, during an emergency, a situation may arise making it necessary to temporarily restrain a pupil.” The policy defines an emergency as a situation in which the pupil’s behavior poses a threat of imminent, serious physical harm to the pupil or others, or imminent, serious property destruction. Pupils are not to be restrained for using profanity or other verbal displays of disrespect, or for noncompliance. A verbal threat is not to be considered a physical danger unless a pupil also demonstrates a means of or intent to carry out the threat. The policy does not permit corporal punishment, but will permit the use of “reasonable and necessary” force in the following instances: to quell a disturbance that involves the threat of physical injury to others; to obtain possession of weapons or other dangerous objects upon the person or within the control of a pupil for the purpose of self-defense; and for the protection of persons or property. The language of the policy specifies that the acts described above are not to be construed as corporal punishment under N.J.S.A. 18A:6-1. Physical restraint is defined as “holding a pupil or otherwise restricting his/ her movements.” Under the policy, such restraint will include the use of specific, planned techniques and is only to be used with reasonable limitations by school staff members who are trained in the use of physical restraint. That training must include techniques of prevention, de-escalation, and alternatives to physical restraint. In addition, training must include current professionally accepted practices and standards regarding behavior management and the use of physical restraint. The student is not to be deprived on basic human necessities and restraint tech- niques must take into consideration any medical conditions the student may have. “Classroom and security interventions should be implemented, when possible, prior to the use of any physical restraint,” the policy states. Classroom interventions are strategies for addressing a student’s behavior. For example, a staff member may: ignore the student’s behavior; redirect the pupil to a task; or use gentle humor, when appropriate. Staff members are directed to be polite at all times. At the elementary school and middle school levels, a student may be directed to a “time-out” area. If the student must be removed from the classroom, the staff member is to follow school discipline procedures for notification and ask for assistance if needed. “The use of physical restraint shall be limited to only those circumstances and situations where other interventions are not possible or have been unsuccessful,” the policy states. Students are to be released from physical restraint immediately upon a determination by the school staff member administering the restraint that the pupil is no longer in imminent danger of causing harm to him/herself, others, or property destruction, the policy stipulates. The principal or a designee will be required to notify the student’s parent or legal guardian in the event an emergency existed and physical restraint was used. Any pupil who undergoes physical restraint is to receive an examination by the school nurse. The staff member must then submit a written report.