Parents of Special-Needs Student Speak Out After Son Placed in ‘Time-Out Room’ at Long Island School

A 10-Year-Old’s Concerns

It was drawn in pencil and crayon on an 8 x 11” paper. Her 10-year-old son Cooper told her it was a drawing of his school.

But Nicole Miller was puzzled when she saw that he had drawn bars over the front door.

“Mommy, why do they why do they force me to go to the room?” Miller recalls him asking her. He was describing his former school, North Ridge Elementary in Commack, New York.

A De-Escalation Room, or Time-Out Room?

The room, seen in pictures that Miller shared, is known as a de-escalation room, seclusion room or time-out room. Often used as a tool to help special needs students, like Cooper, calm down.

Nicole says the school required it as an option for Cooper because of his behavioral issues.

“They told me, you know, he’s very behavioral. Like he will rip up his papers or they were concerned about him being a danger to himself or to other kids,” explained Miller. “They said he has to stay in the room until he regulates and calms down. I didn’t know any better at the time. I listened to what they said.”

State Law and Concerns

According to state law, time out rooms should “only be used in a situation that poses an immediate concern for the physical safety of the student or others.” Children must be monitored and the doors cannot be locked, according to the law.

“These seclusion rooms should be utilized as a last resort,” said Susan Deedy, a special education attorney. “Most importantly these rooms cannot be used as a punitive measure.”

Families of Special-Needs Students

Deedy represents families of special-needs students. She says too often, schools put kids into time-out rooms without trying other interventions first.

“For educators, it’s an easy way to address behaviors and it becomes sort of an answer,” said Deedy. “The law is very vague when it comes to really putting requirements on the schools districts but there’s a lot of room for error in my opinion.”

Deedy says there are better choices if a student is acting out.

“Giving the student choices, visuals, redirection. Sometimes there’s you know, ignoring, planned ignoring, or give the student a job.”

What the Law Says

Current law stipulates that rooms “shall not be used as discipline or punishment…or as a substitute for positive, proactive intervention strategies….”

A Mother’s Concerns

Miller says she didn’t really know what type of room Cooper was being placed in.

“I was under the impression that they took him to a separate classroom, a sensory room. Maybe there’s a beanbag.”

But while visiting the school one day, Miller says she asked to see the time out room.

“A jail cell. It looked like a jail cell and I felt so betrayed by the system.”

Commack Schools’ Response

Commack Schools declined an interview but sent a statement saying in part “these interventions are outlined in the behavior improvement plan which is crafted by a team and discussed with a parent…” and “when a student is in the space for a more extended period of time, it is because the student has requested to remain in that place, working with a known and trusted adult.” The district also provided NBC New York with updated photos of the time out rooms, which they say comply with state regulations.

Records and Data

Records obtained by the I-Team reveal time out rooms were used 199 times by the Commack School District in an 8-month period.

“The descriptions are often for things like non-compliance or screaming or yelling or tantrums, noted Michael Wilson, director of the Education Discipline and Justice Group, “it doesn’t constitute a youth in crisis.”

Wilson who focuses on education rights, reviewed the data obtained by the I-team. In some cases students were in seclusion for more than an hour.

“The seclusion essentially exacerbates the issues that bring kids to the point where someone is trying to seclude them and then it further causes anxieties and traumatic responses.”

A New School and a Fresh Start

Miller believes that’s what happened with her son.

“He would have nightmares that he was in a building and all the windows were boarded and mommy was outside and he couldn’t get to mommy,” she recalled. “He was being sent to time out and once, he bit his teacher.”

Cooper is now in a different public school district where time out rooms are not used.

Conclusion

The use of time-out rooms in schools remains a controversial issue, with concerns about their impact on students’ mental health and well-being. While some schools argue that these rooms are necessary to help students calm down, others argue that they are ineffective and can cause more harm than good. The debate highlights the need for better alternatives and a more nuanced understanding of how to support students with behavioral challenges.

FAQs

Q: What is a time-out room?

A: A time-out room, also known as a de-escalation room or seclusion room, is a designated space where students can calm down and regulate their behavior when they are experiencing emotional distress or acting out.

Q: How often are time-out rooms used in New York schools?

A: According to records obtained by the I-Team, time-out rooms were used 199 times by the Commack School District in an 8-month period.

Q: Is the use of time-out rooms legal in New York?

A: Yes, according to state law, time-out rooms should “only be used in a situation that poses an immediate concern for the physical safety of the student or others.” Children must be monitored and the doors cannot be locked, according to the law.

Q: Are there better alternatives to time-out rooms?

A: Yes, experts agree that there are better alternatives to time-out rooms, such as giving students choices, using visuals and redirection, and ignoring planned ignoring or giving students a job.

Q: What should parents do if they suspect their child is being placed in a time-out room?

A: Parents should communicate with the school and ask to see the behavior improvement plan, which outlines the interventions used with their child. They should also ask to observe the time-out room and discuss their concerns with the school administrator.