Authority: IC 20-20-40-13; IC 20-20-40-16

Affected: IC 20-20-40

Sec. 12. (a) "Physical restraint" means physical contact between a school employee, including a school resource officer (as defined in section 18.5 of this rule), and a student:

1. (1) in which the student unwillingly participates; and
2. (2) that involves the use of a manual hold to restrict freedom of movement of all or part of a student's body or to restrict normal access to the student's body.

(b) The term does not include:

1. (1) briefly holding a student without undue force in order to calm or comfort the student, or to prevent unsafe behavior, such as running into traffic or engaging in a physical altercation;
2. (2) physical escort; or
3. (3) physical contact intended to gently assist or prompt a student in performing a task or to guide or assist a student from one (1) area to another.

(c) The term does not include the use of a bus harness or other safety equipment that is used to restrain a student during transport when the harness or safety equipment is necessary for safety purposes as provided under 575 IAC 1.

(Commission on Seclusion and Restraint in Schools; 513 IAC 1-1-12; filed Aug 5, 2014, 1:32 p.m.: 20140903-IR-513130408FRA; filed Dec 21, 2018, 3:05 p.m.: 20190116-IR-513180063FRA; readopted filed Nov 30, 2020, 12:07 p.m.: 20201230-IR- 513200367RFA)