Yingling Supports Bill to End Abusive Punishment Practice in Schools

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – In response to the abusive use of seclusion rooms being used as punishment in schools, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, is backing legislation to end the practice in Illinois. Yingling is cosponsoring House Bill 3975, which would immediately ban schools from using seclusion rooms.

“I am shocked and dismayed to learn how prevalent and misused seclusion rooms are in Illinois,” said Yingling. “We must protect our youth from the barbaric use of these rooms, which is why I am fully committed to helping pass legislation to ban the use of this horrific practice.”

Seclusion rooms are small rooms that children are placed in when school staff deems that they are misbehaving. While these rooms are supposed to help calm the children down, they often escalate the situation, resulting in stressful, and even traumatic, experiences for the child. A recent report on seclusion rooms uncovered that the practice was being used with little to no oversight, resulting in misuse and physical and mental harm for children, many of whom had disabilities.

Yingling has long been an advocate for protecting children. He supported legislation to remove the statute of limitations on sexual crimes committed against minors, keeping those who look to harm children off the streets. Yingling also works with those in the community who help children, recently visiting a counseling center that primarily works with youth to learn about what he can do to help support their work.

“The mental anguish and trauma that these children were subjected to through these rooms is horrifying,” said Yingling. “Schools should be positive places for children where they learn skills that will help them succeed, not places of terror and agony that scar them for the rest of their lives. I am confident this legislation will restore schools to those positive places and make sure that no child in Illinois has to suffer from these seclusion rooms again.”