Former Teacher Says She Was Told to ‘Not Record’ Use of Seclusion Rooms

A disability rights advocate has alleged she was instructed not to document the use of "seclusion rooms" during her time as a public school teacher.

"My old district used to tell us to not record the use of [seclusion rooms]," said Shelley Petit, chair of the New Brunswick Coalition of Persons with Disabilities. "I refused to use them... I just didn't think they were right." Petit added she was unsure whether the directive came from district leadership or an individual administrator.

However, the Anglophone School District-South (ASD-S), where Petit taught, denied the claim, stating that no such policy against recording existed.

The issue has gained attention following a report from Kelly Lamrock, New Brunswick’s Child, Youth and Seniors’ Advocate, which argues that the use of seclusion rooms in the province’s public schools may violate children’s human rights. The report highlights concerns about the disproportionate use of seclusion rooms on students with disabilities and notes a lack of reliable data on the practice. Most school districts reportedly do not track seclusion room usage, and the Department of Education itself has no comprehensive data.

Seclusion rooms, also referred to as time-out or isolation rooms, are intended to provide a safe environment for students to de-escalate and regulate their emotions. Critics, however, argue that the practice can cause significant trauma to children.

Petit, who taught at Beaconsfield Middle School in Saint John around 2017, said she left the district in 2019. She alleged that during her time there, staff were told not to document seclusion room use. In response, ASD-S provided a detailed email statement asserting that staff are required to complete incident reports within one school day and describing seclusion as an "accepted, evidence-based practice" used to address violent behavior posing risks to students or others. The district also noted it is reviewing Lamrock’s report.

Language in ASD-S's response aligns with provincial guidelines, which stipulate that seclusion is used as a last resort, within a support plan, and with parental consent.

In an interview with the NB Media Co-op, Petit argued that seclusion rooms are not being used as intended. She said many teachers and educational assistants lack training to support students with disabilities like Tourette syndrome or autism, leading them to resort to seclusion inappropriately. "We’re causing trauma in kids," she said. Petit called for the suspension of seclusion room use until staff receive adequate training.

The Department of Education stated it is taking Lamrock’s report seriously and has begun consulting stakeholders, including parents and school principals, to better understand how seclusion rooms are being used.

This report was updated at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 20.

David Gordon Koch is a journalist with the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Stations and Users (CACTUS).