The San Francisco Standard: Her autistic son was restrained and isolated at school. Why didn’t SFUSD report it?

Under California law, educational providers are allowed to physically and mechanically restrain students or involuntarily confine them “only to control behavior that poses a clear and present danger of serious physical harm to the pupil or others that cannot be immediately prevented by a response that is less restrictive.” But the law points out that restraint and seclusion can also cause physical injuries, long-lasting trauma and even death.

In 2018, 13-year-old Max Benson died after staff at his El Dorado Hills school held the autistic boy facedown in a prone restraint for allegedly spitting on a classmate. A teacher and two school administrators were later charged with involuntary manslaughter in a case set to go to trial in September, according to online court records. State Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) has introduced a bill that would prohibit schools from using prone restraints, which are already banned in other states.

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