FW: NAA Action Alert - S.2860

[Guest guest]

From: National Autism

Association

Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 10:28 AM

To: Heifferon

Subject: NAA Action Alert - S.2860

ACTION ALERT!

We need your help to

make sure critically flawed restraint and seclusion legislation is not

signed into law in the state of Florida.

PLEASE ASK FLORIDA GOVERNOR CRIST TO STAND UP

FOR OUR KIDS BY NOT SIGNING SB 2118 INTO LAW

Dear Parents and Friends,

Florida parents and advocates have been working hard to get legislation passed

to protect our children from abusive restraint and seclusion practices in

schools. However, the original version of SB 2118 has been stripped of

its ability to appropriately address the situation and will likely end up doing

more harm than good for our most vulnerable

children.

Your URGENT help is needed in asking

Governor Crist to NOT sign SB 2118!

PLEASE CALL, FAX

AND EMAIL GOVERNOR CRIST

HERE’S WHAT WE NEED:

1.) CALL GOVERNOR CRIST’S OFFICE: (850)

488-7146 ASK HIM TO NOT TO SIGN SB

2118 INTO LAW.

2). FAX THE LETTER BELOW TO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE:

3) CLICK

HERE TO EMAIL THIS LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

IT’S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

TO DO ALL THREE!!

Governor Charlie Crist

400 S. Monroe St.

Tallahassee,

FL 32399-0001

Dear Governor Crist:

I am writing to ask

that you NOT SIGN SB 2118: An

Act Relating to Individuals with Developmental Disabilities into law.

As you are aware, abusive

restraint and seclusion practices used in public schools continue to kill,

injure and traumatize students as young as four years old. As originally

written, the legislation would have effectively addressed abusive practices but

the version passed in our legislature will do little or nothing to protect

children in our schools.

While the current bill provides some minimal protections in reporting and

notification, it does not provide assurances to families that their children

will be safe from the overuse and illegal use of restraint and solitary

confinement. There are no prohibitions, definitions or guidelines. The bill

also does not address prone restraint, a facedown hold that has killed many

children.

Unfortunately, restraint and seclusion methods appear to be utilized as a

dangerous, quick fix replacement for evidence-based behavior practices. As a

result, there is growing local and national concern over the ongoing violation

of human and civil rights. Voiceless and vulnerable children require strong protections

so that their education may be implemented according to the stringent

requirements of the IDEA.

Our federal laws clearly

state that disabled children should never be punished, or harmed as a direct

result of their disability. I strongly believe that the current version of SB

2118 will not end or even reduce the already well documented cases of misuse

and illegal use of restraint and/or seclusion.

For the sake of our most

vulnerable children, please do not sign this bill into law.

Sincerely,

(your name)

Mailing Address:

National Autism Association

1330 W. Schatz Lane

Nixa, MO 65714

US

Contact Name: Fournier

Telephone Number:

To prevent mailbox filters from deleting mailings from National Autism

Association, add naa@... to your address book.

Remove

yourself from this mailing.

Remove

yourself from all mailings from National Autism Association.

Modify

your profile.