Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety Restraint Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Subcommittee forwards amended JKAA restraint policy after DESE request
Summary
The Policy & Curriculum Subcommittee voted 3–0 to send a revision of policy JKAA (physical restraint of students) to the full school committee after DESE asked the district to remove wording about medication and mechanical restraint that DESE said was inconsistent with state guidance.
The Policy and Curriculum Subcommittee voted unanimously to forward an amended version of policy JKAA — governing physical restraint of students — to the full North Attleborough School Committee following a state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) review.
Speaker 4 told the subcommittee that DESE’s integrated monitoring review identified a sentence in the district policy stating “the use of medication or mechanical restraint is prohibited unless explicitly authorized by a physician and approved in writing by the parent or guardian.” The presenter said DESE asked the district to remove that sentence and three other references to medication or mechanical restraint so the policy text aligns with state rules.
Why it matters: The change is procedural but important for legal and operational clarity. Removing the DESE-flagged language prevents a conflict between the district’s written policy and state guidance, and ensures staff and families read a consistent, up-to-date document.
During the discussion, Speaker 1 said the administration did not view DESE’s request as overreaching and recommended complying. Speaker 2 asked for clarification about what counts as a “mechanical restraint.” Speaker 3 read DESE’s definition aloud: mechanical restraint is the use of a physical device or equipment to restrict a student’s freedom of movement but does not include prescribed adaptive or protective devices, vehicle safety restraints used as intended, or orthotic devices used to enable participation for medical purposes.
After brief discussion, Speaker 2 moved to send the amended JKAA language forward and Speaker 1 seconded. The subcommittee recorded a 3–0 vote in favor and Speaker 4 said the administration will place the revised policy in the school committee backup for the next public reading. Speaker 4 noted that DESE’s requested edits are primarily continuity edits to avoid contradictory statements in the policy.
Next steps: The amended JKAA text will appear in the school committee packet for public reading; the full committee will follow the district’s public‑reading procedure (three readings or combination of readings two and three if there is no public comment).
