The Quiet Rooms
Children Locked Away in Illinois Schools
The spaces have gentle names, like “the reflection room.” But shut inside them, schoolchildren as young as 5 wail for their parents, scream in anger and beg to be let out.
This investigation is a collaboration between ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago Tribune.
The Quiet Rooms
Children are being locked away, alone and terrified, in schools across Illinois. Often, it’s against the law.
Illinois Dramatically Limits Use of Seclusion and Face-Down Restraints in Schools
A new bill will ban school workers from locking children in seclusion spaces and limit most uses of isolated timeout and physical restraint. A ProPublica and Chicago Tribune investigation found widespread abuse of the practices in Illinois.
Illinois Quietly Reversed Its Ban on a Dangerous Physical Restraint for Students
After a ProPublica Illinois and Chicago Tribune investigation sparked a statewide ban on some forms of seclusion and restraint of students, a small group of schools lobbied against the measure. And it worked.
Illinois Adopts Stricter Rules Against Secluding and Physically Restraining Students in Schools
The state board of education stopped short of a complete ban on seclusion after a small number of special education schools asked for more leeway in dealing with students.
School Employees Have Used Isolated Timeouts Illegally, State Investigations Find
In six of eight districts investigators examined, they found that workers broke the law by improperly secluding students. Parents say the investigations, which were prompted by a Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois story, have not gone far enough.
Illinois Lawmakers Are Calling for a Nationwide Ban on Isolated Timeouts of Students
Four states currently ban the practice of secluding students at school. Illinois lawmakers want Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to make it 50. “This shouldn’t be controversial,” said U.S. Rep. Sean Casten.
Educators Push to Ban Seclusion of Students and Shift School Culture
Educators who testified before Illinois lawmakers on Tuesday agreed: Shutting students inside closet-sized rooms as punishment is never OK.
Illinois Will Allow Prone, Supine Restraints on Children While Schools Learn to Phase Them Out
The changes to a ban on restraints came after some schools said they could no longer serve children.
There’s an Emergency Ban on Isolated Timeouts in Illinois Schools. What’s Next?
The state board of education said it will refer school workers to law enforcement if they are suspected of committing crimes against children as the emergency ban on seclusion in Illinois public schools goes into effect.
Illinois to Take Emergency Action to Halt Isolated Timeouts in Schools
Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the practice of secluding children “appalling” and said he will work with legislators to end it.
