BrianGarst.com

In a disgusting reminder of the failures of government, a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (ha!) finds that schools are using abusive techniques to restrain and discipline special-needs children.  Some have even died as a result of this level of “care:”

Congressional auditors have uncovered widespread abuse of techniques used to restrain or discipline special-education students in U.S. schools, with some deaths linked to the practices, a top congressman says.

The findings are among those expected from a Government Accountability Office report scheduled to be released Tuesday. The report documented serious problems with the way children with disabilities are being treated in public schools, including cases of children being held face-down on the ground.

It should come as no surprise that the vast majority of cases in their study occurred at public schools.   While we often hear that the most vulnerable among us are a reason for government intervention in the private sphere, it is the vulnerable who government historically treats the worst.   This is because they have the least options available, and no ability to fight back and create political problems. You don’t see government schools beating up and abusing rich kids.

A common trend in these cases was the continued employment of the offending staff in public schools. At worst they get shuffled off to another school in the district.  Unlike private schools, they have no fear of going out of business as a consequence of their systemic abusiveness.  You have no choice but to support them with your tax dollars.

The report predictably focuses on the wrong prescription, highlighting the lack of state and federal laws as if that’s the great culprit here.  The real problem is a lack of accountability, a systemic feature of government monopoly education.