A report in the Hartford Courant yesterday reported that 40% of the children put in restraints or isolation in Connecticut's schools are diagnosed with Autism.
Report: Autistic Children Restrained Most Often In School

Is it lack of training and lack of resources that leads to the need for restraint?

The needs of these children do not fit neatly into categories. The needs are as individual as each child. When we were going through the school system we had more than one teacher tell us they simply did not have the time to deal with our autistic child. Yet state law required them to attend to his educational needs. Fortunately, he did not need restraint. Two things helped him immensely. We enrolled him in FOCUS Center for Autism where he started to learn social skills and make friends. It was a place outside school...away from the bullies. The school system came through for him after his senior year with their Achieve program. They too worked on social skills and life skills. 

The report seems to imply that it is just easier to isolate and restrain. I hope I am wrong.

Can We Talk?

I think there is a need for dialog and action.

I am interested in your thoughts. Is it better to try to fit these children into norms? Is it better to actually develop individual plans so these children can reach their full potential? Are the school systems in this fractured state able to provide the resources needed or, will it take something larger like regional, state or federal resources?