Missouri: Legislators want tougher restraint/seclusion rules; used on kids with disabilities

Jan 13, 2020, KRCG, New Bloomfield, MO: Columbia seclusion and restraint room comes under fire at Capitol press conference https://krcgtv.com/news/local/columbia-seclusion-and-restraint-room-comes-under-fire-at-capitol-press-conference JEFFERSON CITY — Pictures of an alleged seclusion and restraint room were front and center Monday at a bi-partisan news conference at the state capitol about House Bill 1568 which aims to strengthen Missouri's law regarding the isolation of children -- many with disabilities. … "You're connecting dots that don't really connect," Michelle Baumstark said in December about the connection between Columbia Public Schools and a restraint and seclusion room causing controversy among parents. Baumstark is a Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman that spoke to KRCG about the seclusion and restraint rooms she said belonged to a third-party educational entity called Catapult Learning. Pictures of the room in question were used as an example by state representatives Dottie Bailey, R-Eureka, Ian Mackey, D-St. Louis, and Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, to show why the legislators on opposite sides of the aisle were united in their effort to strengthen Missouri's law regarding seclusion and restraint of children…. …Not a place where compassion and learning can occur." Pictures of the room in question were used as an example by state representatives Dottie Bailey, R-Eureka, Ian Mackey, D-St. Louis, and Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, to show why the legislators on opposite sides of the aisle were united in their effort to strengthen Missouri's law regarding seclusion and restraint of children.