Worried about bill

Thank you for your story regarding the Teacher Protection Act (“School violence bill opposed,” Jan. 12).

As a parent of a child with autism, I worry about the effect of this bill on kids with disabilities. I can see a child become overwhelmed and a situation escalate. I worry that some teachers, in a panic, will call the police when calling the school counselor would have been much more appropriate. I could see some teachers choose not to call for internal support out of fear that their students will be arrested.

We all want teachers to be safe, and I believe this bill was written with good intentions, but it is a short-sighted, reactionary approach that protects no one. It will also make school districts and the state more vulnerable to lawsuits from parents.

Indeed, the lawyers of these entities will wonder how to demonstrate that a school and the state are meeting a disabled child’s right to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. How will they prove that the disabled child’s rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act were not violated? How will they respond to charges of privacy violations?

Instead of spending precious taxpayer dollars enacting this law and on the legal battles that will inevitably follow, the state should be proactive. I appreciate the investment in the current budget in more mental health services in schools. The state should increase its share of special education funding and invest in trauma-informed care training for teachers and school staff.

Nancy Gapinski

Glendale