Media Center

Making safer and more equitable classrooms requires change
January 18, 2017 from The Hill

A case before the United States Supreme Court involves a child with autism whose parents are suing the school district over whether he is being denied his legal right for a meaningful education in the public school setting. But before we can educate children, we have to stop hurting them.

The same opinion piece also appears on the World Headlines news site, as well as the Huntington, WV Herald-Dispatch in February of 2017.

Protecting Our Precious Children
December 20, 2016 from Grisborne Herald

In November 2016, New Zealand took a historic step to better ensure the safety of its children by eliminating the use of seclusion as an acceptable form of behavioral management in its schools. In the country’s Grisborne Herald, Ukeru President Kim Sanders shared why this is an example that other countries should follow.

Behavioral Health Expert and Ukeru President Kim Sanders Calls for an Immediate Reduction in Restraint and Seclusion of Children with Disabilities
December 15, 2016 from My Social Good News

Ukeru President, Kim Sanders, responds to statistics released by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) citing a significant increase in complaints involving restraint and seclusion of children with disabilities.

What Works: Alternatives to Physical Restraint
August 31, 2016 from Behavioral Healthcare

Sometimes the best ideas come from those who have been in the weeds the longest. With a history of using traditional, physical, crisis-management tactics, Grafton Integrated Health Network, a Winchester, Va.-based not-for-profit behavioral health and special education services provider, found it could no longer advocate for the approach.

We Must Eliminate Restraint and Seclusion in Schools: Zachary’s Story
June 30, 2016 from Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism

It was only the third day of first grade — Aug. 26, 2015 — that my child was involuntarily committed to a hospital more than two hours from my home.

Behavioral Health Specialist Urges Classroom Changes in Clover, SC
February 28, 2016 from Fox 46 Charlotte

Allegations emerge of the seclusion of autistic children in a South Carolina public school. Ukeru President Kim Sanders explains the long-term trauma associated with this type of treatment and how better alternatives exist.

Expert Comments on Policy Change on Restraint and Seclusion in Ohio Schools
February 28, 2016 from Morrow County Sentinel

New troubling numbers on restraint and seclusion in Ohio public schools prompted a response by Ukeru President Kim Sanders to call on legislators to reassess the state’s training procedures. The same release also appears in the state’s Galion Inquirer.

The Trauma of Restraints: Eliminating Ineffective Approaches in the Classroom
December 31, 2015 from Before it’s News

Recent media coverage and several “caught on cell phone” videos have given the world a frightening glimpse of the trauma inflicted in the classroom as teachers and others use physical restraint on students.

Mental Health Begins Where the Straightjackets Ends
December 31, 2015 from Ozy.com

You have a teenager deep in the midst of puberty, with the strength to boot, who is upset. Additionally, the kid is big and, oh yes, autistic. Quick: What do you do?