You've got two people trying to abide by School Board Policy, no doubt, lest one get fired and the other, hired outside, fired, reprimanded or sent to the Ghetto for not doing so. No doubt they are not experts in Special Ed law which many times runs counter to Board Policy. Regardless of FEDERAL Special Ed law, you've got the safety of other kids AND employees to think about and I have been and done when it comes to restraining violent kids. I've been attacked by kids, large and small and the small ones can act just like a Honey Badger or the like.
I'm not taking up for either of them, but I was just in an EXTENSIVE discussion about this very thing (not this exact situation, but I'd already read about it too), last night. The main story-teller was an ex-Principal who got into several of these situations and became jaded with the whole system.
I've been on both sides of the coin, regular and spec ed. It boils down to the same thing as government. Protect the group or the individual? This nation was founded on protecting individual rights and when you get into this stuff, it gets difficult to serve everybody involved. The LE no doubt has a completely different perspective, unless he's very salty. So you bring at least three perspectives into the mix...LE, School Board and the Asst. Principal who is probably just trying to keep a lid on things with parents, kids, teachers, the board, his supervisors, etc. all on his ass.
And I repeat, until you've been attacked by a child that is...nuts, then you probably shouldn't judge too harshly. I've bled before.
