When it comes to school safety protocols in Dulles, Virginia, there are certain special considerations for students who have experienced neglect. According to school guidelines, seclusion is the involuntary confinement of a student in a room or area. To prevent child abuse and neglect, several programs are available that focus on providing individual education and support for families, group education and support, and building coalitions in neighborhoods to improve family and community conditions. In the case of Gigi Daniel-Zagorites, she was transferred to The Aurora School in Leesburg after the incident.
Her mother, Alexa Zagorites, said that the school should have contacted her as soon as the incident occurred instead of retrospectively. This sparked a community-wide dialogue about how public schools in Loudoun County use isolation and restriction policies. The Body Safety Program is designed to teach children from preschool to sixth grade the skills that are important for preventing or stopping child sexual abuse. In the case of Gigi Daniel-Zagorites, she was placed in a makeshift isolation area inside a classroom for people with special needs at Belmont Ridge High School in Lansdowne last September when she was photographed by another student with special needs.
This incident is not the only one in which isolation techniques are used in schools in Loudoun County. Stephanie Eskins-Gleason, a Sterling mother who is part of the Loudoun Parent of Education Alliance, has expressed her concern for student safety and the rights of students with disabilities to both the superintendent and the School Board. She believes that all students should be treated with respect and dignity. Schools in Dulles, Virginia must take extra precautions when it comes to protecting students from neglect.
Seclusion is an involuntary confinement of a student in a room or area and should only be used as a last resort. The Body Safety Program is an important tool for teaching children how to prevent or stop child sexual abuse. Additionally, parents should be contacted immediately if any incidents occur. Finally, all students should be treated with respect and dignity regardless of their circumstances.
