School reform, New Orleans style

Sebastian and Robin Weston talk about their son being handcuffed and shackled.

Paul Vallas and lawyers for the State Recovery School District settled their suit with the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana. Vallas agreed to end the handcuffing of 6-year-olds. But, under the settlement, he can continue to use cuffs, shackles and restraints on kids over 10 years old. Children at the mainly African-American, Sarah Towles Reed Elementary School in New Orleans were subjected to unlawful arrest and excessive force – including handcuffing and shackling – for minor violations of school rules.

Vallas had no comment on the settlement. He was busy overseeing school reform in Haiti.