Outrage over “scream rooms” at Connecticut elementary school

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http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sidesho...-connecticut-elementary-school-163557778.html

The Farm Hill Elementary School in Middletown, Connecticut has fallen under scrutiny after parents objected to the use of "scream rooms" to discipline special needs students.

Reports claim that custodians cleaning the two so-called scream rooms found blood and urine on the floors and walls. Several students also reportedly complained about the sounds of other children shouting from the rooms.



More at link...
 
Thanks for posting this thread, Reader. Saw an account earlier today in the Daily Mail. Shocking stuff.
 
Let me explain, they are time out rooms, usually the children put in there are physically violent. They are not left alone someone is outside the door watching them. These children bite, claw, kick, scream, hit, beat and spit (will bite inside their cheek just so they can spit blood) on you or on any one close, throw desks, pencils, books anything they can put their hands on. I had one turn over one of those portable room dividers on me.

You cannot physically restrain them. So do you leave them in the classroom where children have been hurt or do you remove them. Does the whole class leave the room and let the child destroy everything or are they removed?

Unless you have seen these children one has no idea. They beat their heads against the wall, they pee on the floor, they claw their face and arms and yours. I've even tried taking the shoes off but do you know how someone kicking you in the shins with their heel feels like? We had one teacher who swore a warrant for a violent older child who punched her in the eye and broke her glasses then beat and kicked her.

We who work or have worked in the schools can only do so much. Some of the children have never been disciplined ever. Their parents are afraid of them. They've never had structure. They come to school and do all of the above because they know if they misbehave long enough someone will give in. I worked in a School system that had satellite schools for districts within that system. Those satellite schools get them all. I was part of one.

Yes it is hard for the kids to listen to the screaming but as with any behavior once they understand that they can choose to do the right thing or have a consequence and that consequence is to be removed to a time out or calm down room and it is consistent you will see their behavior improve sometimes drastically. There are some ADD, ADHD and Autistic children that cannot stand a lot of stimuli. They actually ask to go to the quiet room.

Those special service classrooms have children in wheelchairs, many different syndrome children who are developmentally delayed,(often small in size) and other disabilities and because of lack of resources the behaviorally challenged and emotionally disturbed children are mixed right in. When you see a Down Syndrome child who is the sweetest thing in the world get kicked, hit with a book, spit on or bitten by another child having a major meltdown because they did not get their way and cannot handle making right choices it changes your perception quickly.

Trust me for just a many parents who are complaining about that "scream" room there are many who are thankful that it is there and their child doesn't have to share a class with that behavior disordered child.

The law pretty much ties our hands. That placement is the last at the end of a long list of other possiblities that all must be tried first. Positive reinforcement is used over and over again. We had good teachers but if you are in a regular classroom with 25 other students and there's one climbing on desks, running around causing major disruption 30 to 50 times and hour what happens to the other 25 students? The goal is to teach the child to make the appropriate choices so they can learn and not hurt others.

The regular layperson has no idea unless a story like this comes out, then it's what is wrong with that school etc. Trust me it's one of the few things that we are allowed to do that works.


 
Ah, the mixed blessings of mainstreaming....
 
I wish I personally had a scream room....or a quiet room.
 
lmao..wow I really thought the topic Scream room was about something entirely Different ...My Bad..HaHa
 
Let me explain, they are time out rooms, usually the children put in there are physically violent. They are not left alone someone is outside the door watching them. These children bite, claw, kick, scream, hit, beat and spit (will bite inside their cheek just so they can spit blood) on you or on any one close, throw desks, pencils, books anything they can put their hands on. I had one turn over one of those portable room dividers on me.

You cannot physically restrain them. So do you leave them in the classroom where children have been hurt or do you remove them. Does the whole class leave the room and let the child destroy everything or are they removed?

Unless you have seen these children one has no idea. They beat their heads against the wall, they pee on the floor, they claw their face and arms and yours. I've even tried taking the shoes off but do you know how someone kicking you in the shins with their heel feels like? We had one teacher who swore a warrant for a violent older child who punched her in the eye and broke her glasses then beat and kicked her.

We who work or have worked in the schools can only do so much. Some of the children have never been disciplined ever. Their parents are afraid of them. They've never had structure. They come to school and do all of the above because they know if they misbehave long enough someone will give in. I worked in a School system that had satellite schools for districts within that system. Those satellite schools get them all. I was part of one.

Yes it is hard for the kids to listen to the screaming but as with any behavior once they understand that they can choose to do the right thing or have a consequence and that consequence is to be removed to a time out or calm down room and it is consistent you will see their behavior improve sometimes drastically. There are some ADD, ADHD and Autistic children that cannot stand a lot of stimuli. They actually ask to go to the quiet room.

Those special service classrooms have children in wheelchairs, many different syndrome children who are developmentally delayed,(often small in size) and other disabilities and because of lack of resources the behaviorally challenged and emotionally disturbed children are mixed right in. When you see a Down Syndrome child who is the sweetest thing in the world get kicked, hit with a book, spit on or bitten by another child having a major meltdown because they did not get their way and cannot handle making right choices it changes your perception quickly.

Trust me for just a many parents who are complaining about that "scream" room there are many who are thankful that it is there and their child doesn't have to share a class with that behavior disordered child.

The law pretty much ties our hands. That placement is the last at the end of a long list of other possiblities that all must be tried first. Positive reinforcement is used over and over again. We had good teachers but if you are in a regular classroom with 25 other students and there's one climbing on desks, running around causing major disruption 30 to 50 times and hour what happens to the other 25 students? The goal is to teach the child to make the appropriate choices so they can learn and not hurt others.

The regular layperson has no idea unless a story like this comes out, then it's what is wrong with that school etc. Trust me it's one of the few things that we are allowed to do that works.



BBM - This describes one of my young granddaughters to a "T". At home this child receives no discipline, she lays on the floor kicking and screaming and the parents "ignore" her. I've seen her destroy a bedroom. Fortunately, when she started school, she seems to be somewhat behaved. I believe she likes/needs the structure.

That whole post was a good one, thanks.
 
I know that institutionalizing and keeping children like this in a drives state is not the answer. But is this any better for them. Is their quality of life really better.

My heart aches, what can be done? No easy answers. But we have got to do something.
 
Let me explain, they are time out rooms, usually the children put in there are physically violent. They are not left alone someone is outside the door watching them. These children bite, claw, kick, scream, hit, beat and spit (will bite inside their cheek just so they can spit blood) on you or on any one close, throw desks, pencils, books anything they can put their hands on. I had one turn over one of those portable room dividers on me.

You cannot physically restrain them. So do you leave them in the classroom where children have been hurt or do you remove them. Does the whole class leave the room and let the child destroy everything or are they removed?

Unless you have seen these children one has no idea. They beat their heads against the wall, they pee on the floor, they claw their face and arms and yours. I've even tried taking the shoes off but do you know how someone kicking you in the shins with their heel feels like? We had one teacher who swore a warrant for a violent older child who punched her in the eye and broke her glasses then beat and kicked her.

We who work or have worked in the schools can only do so much. Some of the children have never been disciplined ever. Their parents are afraid of them. They've never had structure. They come to school and do all of the above because they know if they misbehave long enough someone will give in. I worked in a School system that had satellite schools for districts within that system. Those satellite schools get them all. I was part of one.

Yes it is hard for the kids to listen to the screaming but as with any behavior once they understand that they can choose to do the right thing or have a consequence and that consequence is to be removed to a time out or calm down room and it is consistent you will see their behavior improve sometimes drastically. There are some ADD, ADHD and Autistic children that cannot stand a lot of stimuli. They actually ask to go to the quiet room.

Those special service classrooms have children in wheelchairs, many different syndrome children who are developmentally delayed,(often small in size) and other disabilities and because of lack of resources the behaviorally challenged and emotionally disturbed children are mixed right in. When you see a Down Syndrome child who is the sweetest thing in the world get kicked, hit with a book, spit on or bitten by another child having a major meltdown because they did not get their way and cannot handle making right choices it changes your perception quickly.

Trust me for just a many parents who are complaining about that "scream" room there are many who are thankful that it is there and their child doesn't have to share a class with that behavior disordered child.

The law pretty much ties our hands. That placement is the last at the end of a long list of other possiblities that all must be tried first. Positive reinforcement is used over and over again. We had good teachers but if you are in a regular classroom with 25 other students and there's one climbing on desks, running around causing major disruption 30 to 50 times and hour what happens to the other 25 students? The goal is to teach the child to make the appropriate choices so they can learn and not hurt others.

The regular layperson has no idea unless a story like this comes out, then it's what is wrong with that school etc. Trust me it's one of the few things that we are allowed to do that works.



Excellent post. I worked as a security supervisor for 12 years at a middle school with a large special needs population. We had many a child whose parents tried to convince us that win-win situations were the way to go and who refused to take part in the teacher recommendations to thwart negative behavior by establishing boundaries. I've seen some amazing transformations though, once kids get into structured situations but it's often not pretty getting there. Think of a 175 lb. 8th grader having a 2 year-old tantrum. Not pretty at all.
 
My school had a scream room. I was there quite regularly. I asked to go there. Repeatedly.

Let me put it this way: If my son is having a meltdown in class, screaming, crying, banging his head off the walls, I would much rather he be removed to a room by himself to burn out, than risk an adult administrator having to physically restrain him or physically discipline him. There likely are blood and urine in the scream rooms. There likely are kids shouting in them. That's sort of what they are there for. I have no doubt that many of the kids that are sent there are making themselves bleed, and when it comes to some special needs kids, urine is just part of the deal. One of the least fun parts.

I would be outraged at most of the other options. I would be outraged if the school allowed my child to harm someone else. I would be outraged if they didn't contact me. I would be outraged if he had a bone broken or came home bruised from an adult attempting to hold him down. But I won't ever be outraged because they segregated my child so that he could not harm anyone else. If he harms himself, then fine, we can live with and deal with that. If he harms someone else, that would be harder to deal with. It's also worth noting that my almost six year old autistic son in his first year of mainstreaming is larger than all but one of his classmates. He can literally pick up and throw most of the other kids. He has broken my bones in an autistic fit, he could do worse to another child.

I see no problem with it.
 
Since it won't let me edit, I would like to add, many of the children that were in special ed with my son at his last school (entirely special needs) were kids with physical disabilities. Including kids with trach tubes. Imagine my horror as a parent if my son were to have a meltdown and rip out another child's trach...I would rather the school have to tell me that my son had to be seperated and burn out alone than have to call me to say that my son killed another child because they had no choice but to leave everyone in the same room.
 
I have 2 special needs children and I 100% agree with not my kids.
We have "quiet rooms" at our schools around here. I would much rather my children be put there with an adult standing in the doorway, than allow my child to rip apart a classroom or attack another spec. ed child, or go after a teacher. The room is utilized for everyone's protection.
MOO
 
I also wanted to add, just because a child acts out of control, does not mean that child has not had discipline or structure at home. I have 2 special needs children with mental illness and 4 regular needs children. All raised the same way. Some children are just born with issues. No amount of structure, time outs, grounding or taking things away is going to fix mental illness.
MOO
 
When I first read that article, I was outraged. But after reading the great posts here explaining the situation, it makes sense. Thanks much to those of you who shared you stories and shed light on this subject.
 
I also wanted to add, just because a child acts out of control, does not mean that child has not had discipline or structure at home. I have 2 special needs children with mental illness and 4 regular needs children. All raised the same way. Some children are just born with issues. No amount of structure, time outs, grounding or taking things away is going to fix mental illness.
MOO

Agreed. My son was born autistic, he will always be autistic. He's been raised with structure, boundaries, and lots of attention and love. And he still becomes violent, overstimulated, and just downright angry, at times. As he get older, we can hope that he will learn to control that a little better. But now, he simply can't. His coping skills are his weakest area, and we are still working on that. But like with any work in progress there will be setbacks.
 

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