Being locked in a small, dark, windowless room for hours on end is like a scene from a horror movie. But it's a daily occurrence for Isabel Loeffler, when she's supposed to feel safest: her school. The article “When Discipline Begins a Fight,” by Robert Tomsho, tells the horrific, real-life story of Isabel Loeffler. Isabel is an eight-year-old girl who suffers from autism, as well as several other disabilities. Isabel was placed in a regular classroom with very little support, an action that a judge later ruled violated federal law. Because public schools are under extreme pressure to teach more children with disabilities, the use of discipline through restraint and seclusion has become a widespread problem. . Exceptional children are placed in regular classes for the benefit of their education. Placing Isabel in a regular classroom wasn't the only bad thing the Waukee Elementary School staff did. When Isabel began behaving inappropriately during class, several staff members were performing detentions to prevent Isabel from preying on other students. These detentions lasted several hours at times, disrupting both Isabel's and the teacher's school day. Using cruel punishment techniques, such as restraint and seclusion, only hurts the disabled child, eliminating the reason he or she was placed in a regular classroom in the first place. For example, Michael Renner-Lewis III, a child with autism, died in 2003 while being held back at his high school. It is imperative that those caring for children with disabilities are properly trained on how to restrain children as safely as possible. In 2001, when Isabel started school, she was assigned... middle of paper ......to be provided with the appropriate training to do this. Watching Isabel's teacher's reaction to Isabel's outbursts during class, it is obvious that she was not ready for a child like Isabel. I strongly disagree with Isabel's placement in a regular class. It was not in the best interest of Isabel or her classmates to have Isabel in class when she had such outbursts. Waukee Elementary School teachers also teach students that the best way to solve a problem is to lock it up, just like they locked up Isabel. It's a horrible way to live, especially if you're a teacher whose job it is to shape the impressionable minds of today's young people. Sources: Mandlawitz, M. (2007). What Every Teacher Should Know About IDEA Laws and Regulations 2004. Boston: Allyn and BaconTomsho, R. “When Discipline Starts a Fight.” WallStreet Journal. July 9, 2007