CHENEY, Wash. – Luke Huckabee, who grew up in the Cheney School District, settled a 2023 lawsuit against the district for nearly $260,000. The lawsuit detailed allegations of misuse of restraint and isolation.
Huckabee recalled the first-time teachers restrained him and placed him in an isolation closet when he was just 5 years old.
“I was restrained like many many times in my time there,” Huckabee said.
He attended Salnave and Betz Elementary schools.
“So, I started in Salnave and then I went to Betz Elementary,” Huckabee said.
The civil complaint alleged that during the 2012-2013 school year, Huckabee’s mother was called to the school after he had a “rough morning.”
Reportedly, when his mother arrived, 6-year-old Huckabee had “spit, peed on himself, and bashed his head on the floor and was laying on the floor naked.”
“They weren’t supposed to put me in there, they said oh no we never use that. But I was being put in there like every day almost,” Huckabee said.
Huckabee told his mother, “They tried to kill me. They put me in that tiny room where there is not enough air.”
“I was like 6,” Huckabee said.
Huckabee’s mother frequently requested that the schools stop using isolation rooms for her son, but court documents indicated these tactics continued.
“So, they were threatening me to make me calm down,” Huckabee said.
Washington state law permits the use of restraint and isolation for students in emergencies if they pose imminent harm.
When asked if he thought these guidelines applied to his situations, Huckabee said no.
The school district’s attorney stated, “Contrary to the assertions in the student’s lawsuit that he was restrained or isolated an excessive number of times, the student was never restrained or isolated unless de-escalation efforts had failed.” The attorney also believed they could have won the case if it went to trial.
Washington state lawmakers have raised concerns over the use of restraint and isolation in schools for years. Attempts to tighten policies in 2023 and 2025 were made, but neither bill passed.
“The bill also prohibits designing buildings to have a room or other enclosed areas solely for purposes of isolating a student,” a speaker said.
A pilot program involving school districts aimed to reduce reported cases of restraint and isolation.
“36% of those have seen their isolation numbers drop by over half,” a speaker said.
The Pullman School District reported a significant decrease in incidents.
“In 23/24 we reported 187 incidents of student restraint or isolation. This year we have 7 incidents,” Dominic Ventresco, assistant director of special education of Pullman School District, said.
Speakers during sessions highlighted the lasting effects of restraint and isolation on students.
“I have OCD,” Huckabee said, explaining the impact of his experiences.
“Whenever I got home from, I would usually take a shower or something or wash my hands. I just kind of felt like dirty after coming back from school…it progressed to me not being able to touch my family or things around the house,” Huckabee said.
Huckabee and his family took action to prevent similar experiences for others.
“I just really wanted to make sure that they didn’t do anything like this again,” Huckabee said.
