Washington ( CNN ) -- All Cedric wanted was lunch . A 14-year old student in a special education classroom in Texas , Cedric was living with a foster family because of a history of neglect , including malnutrition . But on this day in 2002 , his teacher tried to punish him by withholding food , despite the abuse he had suffered as a young child . Cedric 's teacher delayed his lunch for hours to discipline him for refusing to do his work . When he would n't comply , his teacher put him in a face down restraint and sat on him in front of his classmates . Cedric said repeatedly that he could not breathe . He died minutes later on the classroom floor . Cedric 's tragic story is n't an isolated case in America 's schools today . According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office , over the last 20 years there have been hundreds of allegations of school personnel using restraint and seclusion in abusive ways on children . It 's happening disproportionately to students with disabilities , often at the hands of untrained staff . Many of these students bear haunting physical and emotional scars . And in a number of cases , students have died . It 's difficult to believe , but there are no federal laws to prevent this from happening . Local newspapers recount bone-chilling stories of schoolchildren tied to chairs , or with their mouths taped shut , sometimes locked in dark closets , or pinned to the floor for hours at a time . If parents treat their kids this way , it 's considered a criminal offense . But unlike in hospitals and other institutions that receive federal taxpayer funding , there are no federal protections against these abusive practices when they happen in schools . The Children 's Health Act of 2000 regulates how and when restraint and seclusion can be used in medical settings and community facilities . But classrooms , where students spend the majority of their day , are exempt . In the absence of a federal standard , state protections for kids are all over the map . Many states have no regulations whatsoever . Children are left vulnerable and staff untrained . Restraint and seclusion techniques should be used only as a last resort , when someone is in imminent danger of physical injury and there are no alternatives . Without proper training , staff can be hurt and students , especially small children , are at risk . Yet the GAO and news reports confirm that these practices are used frequently , often as discipline , when students are n't physically aggressive . While there is no centralized reporting , data from the few states that do track incidents paints a troubling picture . In the 2007-2008 school year in California alone , the GAO reports , there were more than 14,300 cases of restraint , seclusion and other `` emergency interventions . '' We do n't know how many of these merited real emergencies . In one California case , Paige , a young girl with Asperger 's syndrome , was restrained in class because she was wiggling her loose tooth . Her mother , who had never consented to physical interventions , had no idea restraint was regularly imposed until her daughter came home with bruises . As parents , when we send our children to school , we expect they will be safe from danger . And when the very people we entrust with our children 's well-being inflict this type of abuse , it 's not just the victims and their families who suffer . It hurts their classmates , who witness these terrifying events . It undermines the vast majority of teachers and staff who are trying to give students a quality education . It 's a nightmare for everyone involved . The easy answer here would be to blame teachers . But it would be the wrong one . Ultimately , the root of this problem has been our system-wide failure to provide direction and enforcement . As long as school systems continue to lack the tools they need to create good policies and properly train staff , these incidents will continue . The solution is a balanced approach to make classrooms safe for students and teachers . With that goal in mind , on Wednesday we are introducing legislation to finally ensure that schools in every state have the resources they need to prevent inappropriate restraint and seclusion . Our bill would set minimum safety standards in schools , similar to the protections children already receive in other institutions , so that states can ensure appropriate school district policies . It would limit physical restraints or locked seclusion to situations involving imminent danger , and require staff to be trained in administering these practices . It would outlaw mechanical restraints , such as strapping kids to chairs , and prohibit restraints that restrict breathing . It will increase transparency and oversight , so we will finally know just how widespread these practices are , and provide the Secretary of Education with tools to enforce the law . And it would give schools the support they need to equip their staff to handle difficult situations in the most positive manner possible . In a time of deep partisan divide , some may wonder what prompted strange bedfellows -- a member of Democratic leadership and a member of Republican leadership -- to team up . It 's as simple as this : Schools are places for our children to learn , grow , and thrive . As a nation we must do better . It 's time to ensure that no child in this country suffers the same fate as Cedric . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of U.S. Reps. George Miller and Cathy McMorris Rodgers .
Reps . Miller and Bill Rodgers say kids sometimes restrained abusively in schools . No federal laws prevent this , they say , and it happens disproportionately to special needs kids . They say students , teachers , parents are all harmed by abuse , with lasting effects . Miller , McMorris Rodgers : New law would train teachers , limit restraint , provide oversight .