• • The use of physical force by an actor upon another person is justifiable when the actor is a parent, guardian or other person entrusted with the care and supervision of a minor or an incompetent person or when the actor is a teacher or other person entrusted with the care and supervision of a minor for a special purpose; and
    • The actor reasonably believes that the force used is necessary to promote the welfare of a minor or incompetent person, or, if the actor’s responsibility for the minor is for special purposes, to further that special purpose or to maintain reasonable discipline in a school, class or other group; and
    • The force used is not designed to cause or believed to create a substantial risk of causing death, serious physical injury, disfigurement, extreme pain or extreme emotional distress.

160.263. R.S.Mo. Confinement of a student prohibited, when–policy on restrictive behavioral interventions required–model policy to be developed.

• • The school discipline policy under section 160.261 shall prohibit confining a student in an unattended, locked space except for an emergency situation while awaiting the arrival of law enforcement personnel.
  • The local board of education of each school district shall [have] a written policy that comprehensively addresses the use of restrictive behavioral interventions as a form of discipline or behavior management technique. The policy shall be consistent with professionally accepted practices and standards of student discipline, behavior management, health and safety, including the safe schools act. The policy shall include but not be limited to:
    • Definitions of restraint, seclusion, and time-out and any other terminology necessary to describe the continuum of restrictive behavioral interventions available for use or prohibited in the district;
    • Description of circumstances under which a restrictive behavioral intervention is allowed and prohibited and any unique application requirements for specific groups of students such as differences based on age, disability, or environment in which the educational services are provided;
    • Specific implementation requirements associated with a restrictive behavioral intervention such as time limits, facility specifications, training requirements or supervision requirements; and
    • Documentation, notice and permission requirements associated with use of a restrictive behavioral intervention.

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has a Model Policy on Seclusion and Restraint.