SPECIAL EDUCATION HEALTH AND SAFETY

WHEREAS, thousands of AFT members work with children who have significant mental health and physical needs; and

WHEREAS, schools are often not appropriately designed or renovated for the needs of these children and the staff who work with them; and

WHEREAS, inadequate physical facilities for children with limited mobility are associated with increased risk of injury to staff and students; and

WHEREAS, the current ADAG guidelines developed for Title 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act have not addressed the special design considerations essential for schools that provide services to children with limited mobility; and

WHEREAS, staff who assist students with limited mobility are not provided with adequate equipment and training, and many have suffered disabling musculoskeletal injuries as a result; and

WHEREAS, many schools do not have adequate emergency planning that provides for effective evacuation of special education students and students with limited mobility; and

WHEREAS, special education staff have a high rate of work-related non-fatal assaults; and

WHEREAS, comprehensive programs that include appropriate training, equipment and physical design are rarely implemented in schools:

RESOLVED,  that the AFT develop and conduct a survey to assess the extent of unique health and safety concerns among educational personnel working with children with special needs; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT contact appropriate federal agencies and actively promote amendments to ADAG guidelines that address the unique concerns of these educational settings; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT develop training programs to help members deal more safely and effectively with students with special needs.