Can my child be removed from a gen ed classroom for stimming?

Stimming isn’t a legitimate reason to have a child removed from a gen ed classroom, and it is less disruptive than parents and teachers might assume. Normalizing stimming and allowing children the means to stim in class largely benefits their learning and experience at school because stimming behavior often serves a self-regulating function.

There are plenty of accommodations that can be easily implemented at school under an IEP or 504 plan for stimming, both in a gen ed classroom and in a special education classroom. Parents should discuss accommodations that take into account both their child’s needs and others in the classroom.

For stims that are disruptive, schools can implement support strategies to redirect the child and help them self-regulate in other ways.

For more information, see our full article Stimming at School.