Action Alert: Seclusion and Restraints Call-In Day THIS FRIDAY 2.26.10

From DPC and APRAIS (2.23.10):

National Call-In Day on February 26, 2010

Please call your congressional representatives on February 26 and tell them to support the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (H.R. 4247, S. 2860). 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Friday, February 26^th

Call your Congressional Representative to Co-sponsor H.R. 4247 and your Senators to Co-Sponsor S. 2860.

• To find out the names of your US Senators and Representative, click here [link to www.congress.org]
• Dial the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the offices of your US Senators and Representative
• Ask to speak to the person working on education issues
• Identify yourself as a constituent and the organization that you represent (if any)

Please also encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to participate in this important National Call-In!

Message: “I am calling to urge [your Senator] to cosponsor S.2860, legislation preventing harmful use of restraint and seclusion in schools.”

Message: “I am calling to urge [your Representative] to cosponsor H.R. 4247, legislation preventing harmful use of restraint and seclusion in schools.”

Thank you for your advocacy. Your action will help increase congressional support for these bills and move them through the legislative process toward enactment. Please join the National Call-In Day on Friday, February 26, 2010, and tell your friends and family to join!

Your hard work has already made a difference. The House Committee on Education and Labor approved H.R. 4247 by a vote of 35 to 10.  Now, we need your assistance to get the bill to the full House for a vote. 

We also need Co-sponsors for the Senate version, S. 2860.  Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) introduced the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act in the Senate, but we need to increase the number of Senate Co-Sponsors and get this bill out of committee as soon as possible. Once passed, this legislation will provide students with and without disabilities vital protections against abuse in schools.

Please visit http://aprais.tash.org/CallToAction.htm to learn more!