Superintendent Daniel Curry said he first learned of Calvert County’s statistics on the use of restraint and seclusion approximately one month ago.  “Well, my initial thought is that, that’s not good.  And we’ve obviously got some work to do.”  
Curry added, “We have a wide range of responsibility here and we take it seriously, and we certainly do take seriously reports such as this that shows us in a ranking that we don’t like being in.”
In a March 21st email, Calvert County Public Schools Board of Education President Dawn Balinski wrote, “I was shocked to see the high number of incidences in Calvert and have asked the Superintendent to investigate and report back to the Board.” 
Curry confirmed that the investigation is underway.  “First of all, we’ve been digging into the data ourselves, looking at just how we are reporting what’s being recorded. . . I do want to say that I’ve been advised by staff that they have discovered that for some things we report, that other school districts tell us that they don’t… not that that is all of the issue.  We’ve got things to deal with”, said Curry.
In Waller Squared’s previous reporting, we compared Calvert County’s policy to what is written in Maryland regulations, and noted that Calvert’s policy seemed to permit the practice of seclusion for student behaviors that don’t rise to the level of “imminent, serious, physical harm”, as required by State regulations.  
According to Leslie Margolis, Managing Attorney at Disability Rights Maryland, the State regulations (COMAR) do not define “imminent, serious physical harm.”  She wrote in an email to us,  “The Maryland State Department of Education explained in its 2014 fact sheet regarding restraint and seclusion that the term has the same meaning as serious bodily injury in federal law and regulation.  The fact sheet is guidance and does not have the force of statute or regulation, but it does represent the agency’s interpretation of its governing statute and regulations.” 
Margolis could not comment on the Calvert County Public Schools’ policy specifically, as she has not reviewed the entire policy and other guidance documents and procedures the school system may have in place.   
The Maryland State Department of Education’s factsheet indicates that, unless otherwise provided for in a student’s behavior intervention plan, restraint and seclusion are prohibited unless there is: 

a substantial risk of death;
extreme physical pain;
protracted and obvious disfigurement; or
protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty.

We asked Curry if he had reviewed Calvert County’s policy since Waller Squared’s first reporting on this issue. “I haven’t really myself, but my staff tells me they agree that our language doesn’t match up to what today’s language is supposed to be, so we’ll be changing our policy”, Curry told us.

[M]y staff tells me they agree that our language doesn’t match up to what today’s language is supposed to be, so we’ll be changing our policy
Calvert County Public School Superintendent Daniel Curry
Curry volunteered that the investigation has revealed instances whereby the school documented a restraint incident, when it isn’t even clear that the situation was one that required reporting.  
“A student might just be uncooperative and walking to the office and might just flop down on the floor and say ‘I’m not going’ and it might be where the school cafeteria is about to release a whole bunch of kids in the hallway, – my understanding is that sometimes students like that are transported with proper techniques to get them just out of the way of the traffic, and it’s not a matter of where they’re flailing about or resisting, except by just becoming a big pile of not helping, not walking. It’s not about someone getting hurt.  It’s just about getting out of the way of traffic . . .My understanding is, we’ve learned from other school systems that they don’t record that as a restraint.”
Curry also volunteered that the review has found reports that show the correct and appropriate practice of restraint and seclusion by Calvert County Public School personnel.  
Curry didn’t offer in his initial explanation whether or not the investigation has revealed  any questionable reports, where staff may have overreached with the application of restraint or seclusion; so, we asked him directly.  He replied, “Yeah, I think we have.  I think we’re questioning, anyway.  It may not be clear in the documentation submitted by the school, but the numbers cause us to question, was that necessary?”

It may not be clear in the documentation submitted by the school, but the numbers cause us to question, was that necessary?
Calvert County Public School Superintendent Daniel Curry
We asked Curry about the significance of not having the “imminent serious physical harm” standard in Calvert’s policy; namely, we asked if the investigation found instances of children being secluded or restrained for actions or behaviors that did not rise to the level of “imminent, serious physical harm” as described in COMAR?   Curry said, “I can’t speak to that much detail because I haven’t done that kind of review, but my staff is involved in that kind of review.  You know, the bottom line is that we want to comply, and we want to be sure we do it right.  So if there are any instances where we have, where we see patterns, where we have not followed the appropriate standard, we will fix that.”
Curry also told us, “The fact that our written procedures and our written policies may not match up word for word with what current law says, does not necessarily evidence that we have violated the law, because in the end it is what did the school do, was the school prudent in its exercise of these resolutions, or was it not? Did they do it properly or did they do it not, not properly?  Not what was in writing, but what was executed.”
We subsequently asked Leslie Margolis, Managing Attorney at Disability Rights Maryland, to comment on Superintendent Curry’s position with respect to Calvert’s written policy. Margolis could not offer a comment about Calvert County’s policy specifically, because she is not familiar with it in its entirety. “I will say in general, there are two possibilities if a jurisdiction’s written policies do not reflect what is required by law.  One possibility is that the jurisdiction actually does comply with all legal requirements but just has not gone through the process of conforming its policies to actual practice and to the legal requirements that govern.  The other possibility is that the jurisdiction does not comply with all legal requirements and perhaps views the policy as interchangeable with or as a substitute for the law”, Margolis advised.
Several different parents have provided Waller Squared with the signed reports various school personnel completed to record instances of seclusion and restraint. Parents have provided us with school records dating back to 2016. These documents reveal that since at least 2016, Calvert County Public School special education students have apparently been restrained and secluded for behaviors including splashing water at staff, toggling light switches, tipping over chairs, damaging window insect screens, and similar non-injurious acts.
Curry said, “All things aside, we acknowledge that we’ve got to do some training for our staff because transport, seclusion, restraint, – those are all reactionary responses to a behavior that we would rather have prevented.”  
He further noted, “I’d like to think that it’s possible for us to improve our knowledge and understanding of what can be done so you have fewer instances where you feel you need to restrain or where you need to seclude. What are the buttons that we don’t want to push for a particular student that might set them off and cause these kinds of things to happen.”

All things aside, we acknowledge that we’ve got to do some training for our staff because transport, seclusion, restraint, – those are all reactionary responses to a behavior that we would rather have prevented
Calvert County Public School Superintendent Daniel Curry
Superintendent Curry told of the first time he learned of the practice of seclusion. “When I first arrived here in Calvert County, I had to ask what some of these spaces were for, because I worked in school districts that didn’t have any kind of space that could be even used for seclusion.  If you don’t have a space set aside for that, it’s a tool that you don’t have in your tool kit, and you find other solutions.” Curry did not indicate what, if any, direction he provided to school system personnel after he first observed these rooms and learned of the practice of seclusion in Calvert County.
Curry added, “I want to reemphasize that a big part of our training that we’ve got to get better at is, what kinds of things can we do for our staff to make it so they don’t even have to consider, or they reduce the number of times that they would even need to consider, [seclusion or restraint].”

If you don’t have a space set aside for that, it’s a tool that you don’t have in your tool kit, and you find other solutions
Calvert County Public School Superintendent Daniel Curry
Curry also explained that this issue is not a simple issue to address, nor is it one dimensional.  “We have to acknowledge that here is the other big issue. We have had at numerous Board meetings, and I have received frequent communications, from both teachers and parents, asking why are these children with violent tendencies in my room.  And I’m concerned about the safety of my other children… parents tell me…why is this child here?  My child reported that another child in his classroom threw something across the room, threw a chair, threw a desk… and those numbers are increasing, more and more.  We have very young children, ages 5, 6, 7, 8, who have challenges, not necessarily yet into special education… perhaps, but have challenges with emotional control, and don’t deal with adversity or disappointment in effective ways, so we have more and more tantrums, more and more physical acting out.  And we have staff getting hurt, and we have parents calling us and asking us why is that child taking away from my child’s education. So, we have to address the issues of seclusion and restraint . . . we will certainly want to reduce the frequency with which we have to use those kinds of tools.  We have to balance out the needs of the few for the needs of the many and try to meet everyone’s needs while keeping everyone safe.”

I have received frequent communications, from both teachers and parents, asking why are these children with violent tendencies in my room

Calvert County Public School Superintendent Daniel Curry
In the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a separate education for African-American children was not an equal education. Subsequent court holdings and federal legislation have established similar equal education access rights to students with disabilites.
The U.S. Department of Education website explains that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that requires public schools to provide a free and “appropriate” education to eligible children with disabilities.  The law also ensures special education and related services to those children.
According to the American Psychological Association’s website, “Prior to IDEA, over 4 million children with disabilities were denied appropriate access to public education. Many children were denied entry into public school altogether, while others were placed in segregated classrooms, or in regular classrooms without adequate support for their special needs.”
WrightsLaw is an organization which publishes information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.  According to the information published on their website, IDEA requires “school districts to place students in the least restrictive environment (LRE). LRE means that, to the maximum extent appropriate, school districts must educate students with disabilities in the regular classroom with appropriate aids and supports, referred to as “supplementary aids and services,” along with their nondisabled peers in the school they would attend if not disabled, unless a student’s individualized education program (IEP) requires some other arrangement.”

[T]o the maximum extent appropriate, school districts must educate students with disabilities in the regular classroom with appropriate aids and supports…
WrightsLaw
What’s next?
Our investigative reporting on this issue will continue.  We are still awaiting a response from Calvert County Public Schools on our request to inspect records pursuant to the provisions of the Maryland Public Information Act.  
Though our reporting thus far has mainly focused on Calvert’s seclusion policy and the lack of the “imminent, serious physical harm” standard, our next article will cover issues we have discovered that may point to a broader and more systemic failure in the management and internal accounting of student behavior interventions in the Calvert County Public School System.
About the author: Brian Waller is a retired police administrator, crisis intervention, Mental Health First Aid and law enforcement use-of-force instructor.  At one time a criminal investigator, he now applies those same skills and professional standards towards investigative reporting, presenting cases in the court of public opinion.
Brian does not conduct for-hire private investigations; rather, he follows tips and leads to conduct pro bono public investigation on  issues of significance to local communities.  He writes about his findings through the honed craft of advocacy journalism.  Brian does not get paid for conducting investigations or writing articles, – putting  the “free” in freelance reporting.  He co-manages Waller Squared Media Productions, LLCwith Robert Waller, and may be reached at @
Brian Waller is a member of the U.S. Press Association as well as the Constitution First Amendment Press Association.
[Submitted by Brian Waller]

In Onslow County superior court today, former Marine Corps Sergeant, Christopher Skaggs appeared at 11 a.m. this morning for the guilty plea. Skaggs was charged in the first-degree murder in the multiple-shooting death of his wife Jordan Skaggs back in July of 2014. Him pleading guilty to first-degree murder carries a mandatory life imprisonment sentencing without parole. 18 months ago the defense attorneys requested a plea deal for 25 years and it was denied. The state prosecution said in court today that there was no other way in this, there are only two options, life without parole or the death penalty.
[Submitted by Melissa Elaine Oakley]

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https://onslowbeat.com/2018/03/28/former-marine-sentenced-in-wifes-murder/

Irma De Flore - Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week TBILISI F/W 18-19 show in photos, and slideshow film, photography and documentary event film of a slow motion, at times, dance from the heart of Eurasia, in the country of Georgia, one of 44 shows in this MBFW, delightful, intriguing, mysterious, much like Irma De Flore's presence, and demeanor, a magic manifested on stage, and in vivid colors, and creative expression in dance as rarely seen in this unique, unforgettable fashion. With International Guests as far away as America, Norway, and Australia present, a real treasure and sight to see, certainly worth the world travel for this remarkable presentation. - Michael R Vanderpool, US Press Association
[Submitted by Michael Vanderpool]

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXe15-dqSPY&index=29&list=PLyZTDUKpLONfCBIQdB-yFK50V4ZtG7n6V&t=0s

https://steemit.com/mbfw/@astrologer007/irma-de-flore-mercedes-benz-fashion-week-tbilisi-f-w-18-19-in-georgia-country-may-6-photography-film-of-show

https://www.facebook.com/pg/michaelrvanderpoolapa/photos/?tab=album&album_id=922926107880227

The perfect gift for a writer, photographer or journalist...
Exclusively this holiday season, the new US Press Association gift card.

Get yours today - https://squareup.com/gift/TDA4PC214ETPF/order

September Sparks awareness for many wonderful health iand social justice nitiatives including Suicide Prevention, Ovarian and Prostate Cancers, Food Safety plus money others.
 
The return to Fall starts an active calendar of monthly and weekly health and social issue initiatives all designed to make an impact for progress, finding cures and social change

September brings National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to share resources and stories in an effort to shed light on this highly stigmatized topic. The month focuses on reaching out to those affected by suicide, raising awareness and connecting individuals with suicidal ideation to treatment services.

Each year, more than 41,000 individuals die by suicide, leaving behind their friends and family members to navigate the tragedy of loss. In many cases, friends and families affected by a suicide loss are left in the dark. Too often the feelings of shame and stigma prevent them from talking openly. 

With the back to back recent tragic suicide deaths this summer by two of the music industry’s beloved musicians — Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, the conversations were put front and center – hopefully as a reminder of the importance of recognizing signs and seeking help. If you are in crisis or know someone who is, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.

September 10 -16: NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK – September 10-16 is National Suicide Prevention Week. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers an easy way to show your support for the fight to #StopSuicide by changing your profile picture and posting to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all week. 

PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH – Go Blue this September. Prostate Cancer is the second-most common cancer in U.S men. The Step Up For Blue campaign empowers men to take control of their health — and encourages their loved ones to support them. There are 3 million U.S. men living with prostate cancer and countless families fighting this disease worldwide. 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed in their lifetimes. The good news is that prostate cancer is 99 percent treatable if detected early. Education and screening are key. 

Helpful Tips from The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), and its Step Up For Blue campaign can be found at their website: www.pcf.org


OVARIAN CANCER MONTH – Go Teal this September to raise awareness for Ovarian Cancer. According to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC), one in 75 women will be diagnosed with the disease. More than 22,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and over 14,000 women die from the disease. Unfortunately, most cases are diagnosed in later stages, when the prognosis is poor. However, if diagnosed and treated early, when the cancer is confined to the ovary, the five-year survival rate is over 90 percent. That is why it is imperative that the early signs and symptoms of the disease are recognized, not only by women, but by their families and the healthcare community. 


FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION MONTH – It’s National Food Safety Education Month and National Family Meals Month, an annual awareness initiative to educate the public on the preparation of safe and healthy family meals. The campaign began in 1994 by the Partnership for Food Safety Education.


There are many more wonderful awareness campaigns and coordinating events occurring this September nationally, locally and on the world stage including World Alzheimer’s Day, Out of the Darkness Walks for Suicide Awareness, and concerts for Prostate Cancer. 

[Submitted by Abbe Sparks]

Have you ever seen someone who thought they were ugly and thought them crazy for the thought?
Do you or have you ever considered yourself unattractive?  By what standard have we built to measure what is ugly?
When it comes to outer appearance the most famous line in history is that “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” What that really means is that beauty and ugly can be tough to define.
What it is fascinating to me how we have allowed the appraisal of people who only view houses define the value of our beauty instead of the one who builds houses.
The origin of the word ugly comes from Scandinavian sources or old Norse, which meant to be dreadful or frightening.  It was often said of individuals with birth defects and disfigurements. Often related to the root of fear, for people in the 14th century had no point of reference for the unusual and like the old saying goes, they fear what do not understand.
But in the modern-day we seem to always describe what is ugly based on someone else’s idea of beauty in contrast or in comparison to.
 In this old book I like to read often, near the beginning of it, a voice asks some newlyweds, who told you that you were naked? See, these newlyweds were no idiots, they had perfect knowledge so they knew they were naked, however, the way they viewed it was different.
“Since the beginning of time eyes have only seen what they have been told to see”.
The newlyweds were indeed naked, but that was beautiful until someone told them it was something else. They immediately ran to cover themselves.
So, I pose the question who told you, that you were ugly? And why did you believe them?  The word ugly is a comparative word to begin with.
Meaning in order to be ugly it must be in comparison to, which asks the question which of those among us has created one human being from dust in order to say with absolute certainty of who is ugly?
Who did you see that you compared yourself to that made you believe you were ugly? One day I was going shopping in downtown Philadelphia and to park in the retailers parking lot you had to get your ticket validated before you leave the store. The valet in the parking lot says to me, “I see you here all the time I’ll validate it for you become you go in”. After sometime in the store, I am checking out and I say “oh I almost forgot could you validate my parking”. He sees my ticket and says to me “you don’t need my validation; you’ve been validated already.”
Let me tell you a little secret, your beauty had already been validated. But too often we are so quick to forget and end up doubting it and searching for it to be validated by others.
Let me tell you why you should not believe people if they call you ugly.
For starters, most people have terrible eyesight. We are almost as blind as bats. The percentage of those that can see sharply detailed along the entire electromagnetic spectrum is precisely 0%. And only a little more than half of Americans have 20/20. Why would you entrust the look of beauty to people that cannot see? 1 Samuel 16:7
the second reason you should not believe them is because they do not know what beauty is no way! 
They have allowed people with 14 hours of makeup on to shape their idea of beauty and try to measure everyone else to that.
See for yourself 1 Peter 3:3-4
Thirdly because you’re beautiful. And by mere definition, you technically cannot be ugly. 
Everyone might have something ugly about them but overall you are altogether beautiful, wonderfully made.  Songs of Solomon 4:7.
You have already been validated and appraised by the one who built everything.
Who are you going to believe the one who beholds with their imperfect eyes or the one who is all seeing? The ones that follow their deceitful hearts or the one who created the heart?  The goal is not to be found beautiful to everyone, but knowing that you are already beautiful so it’s no way that you can be ugly. So do not believe everything you hear, instead, believe what is already written
[Submitted by Dion Ringgold]

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https://dbc-mediagroup.com/life/20170510-who-told-you-you-were-ugly

March brings awareness for Women’s History, Music Education, Brain Injury, Reading and a host of other wonderful causes. Here are a few we highlight this month.

Writing Women Back into History

*]Women’s History Month 2017[/b] celebrates women and their accomplishments. Their tagline is “writing women back into history” This year’s theme: “Honoring Trailblazing Women in Labor and Business.” While the concept began in the 1970s, it wasn’t until 1980 when President Jimmy Carter declared a proclamation. By 1987, the advocacy efforts came to fruition when Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month in perpetuity. A special Presidential Proclamation is issued every year which honors the extraordinary achievements of American women. Mark your calendars for March 8th which is the annual International Day of the Woman.


Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM®) is the National Association for Music Education’s (NAfME) annual celebration during March. MIOSM engages music educators, students and communities from around the country in promoting the benefits of high quality music education programs in schools. At a time when funding for the arts and school funding for arts programs looms large, advocacy initiatives like MIOSM could not be more important than now.

The month-long observance began in New York in 1973 as a single statewide Advocacy Day and celebration, which grew over the decades to become a month-long salute of school music in 1985. Music teachers celebrate MIOSM in many ways by offering special performances, lessons, sing-alongs and activities to bring their music programs to the attention of administrators, parents, colleagues, and communities to display the positive benefits that school music brings to students of all ages.

Ways to get involved: change your profile picture during the month of March. Share photos of how ‘Music Inspires’ you and if you’re a teacher, share how music inspires your students on Instagram using ‪#‎MIOSM and #MusicInspires and tag @NAfME.

Brain Injury Awareness Month – The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in observing the month by conducting an awareness campaign in March each year. The theme for the 2015 to 2017 campaign is: Not Alone.

The Not Alone Campaign provides a platform for educating the general public about the incidence of brain injury and the needs of people with brain injuries and their families. The campaign also acts as an outreach platform within the brain injury community to de-stigmatize the injury, empower those who have survived, and promote the many types of support that are available.

Founded in 1980, the Brain Injury Association of America is the oldest, largest and only nationwide brain injury advocacy organization in the U.S. As the voice of brain injury, BIAA provides help, hope and healing for the millions of Americans who sustain this life-altering, sometimes devastating, injury.

In honor of Brain Injury and The Not Alone theme, I leave you with an inspiring song written by singer/songwriter David George entitled “Shine” off his album Radiant Man. The song just happens to match this year’s theme “Not Alone.”


[Submitted by Abbe Sparks]

The most anticipated day of the year is celebrated at Times Square along the streets of New York City. Millions of revelers anticipate the crystal-covered ball to drop and countdown to a new year. A place not only natives of NYC celebrate their new year but millions travel from around the world to see.