Why is it every time after something "tragic" happens
to young people during the school year, the very first
thing the media reports is that grief counselors will
be waiting for students in the morning?
I mean, tragedy is the "to be expected" when kids are
driving too fast, shooting each other dead, popping
pills. Hating life. Also, when we live in a post
9/11 world. What students would benefit from is a
refresher course in personal responsibility. Not to
mention, a psychiatric drug free education.
Now, how come every time political reform is started
to scale back the legal numbing of our children with
psychiatric drugs, diversion tactics are initiated
against those raising a ruckus? Seems like advocating
for educational reform as it pertains to our
children's mental health is the surest way to be
called a Scientologist. Or uncompassionate. Or the
latest: too hard on children.
I mean, where is all this money coming from for grief
counselors in our schools? Why does the School
Psychologist Association, the American Psychological
Association and the American Psychiatric Association
so vehemently oppose political reform like the Child
Medication Safety Act of 2003, introduced in the
Senate as S.1390? I can only surmise these unions,
pardon me, "professional" associations, think grief
counselors and their counseling actually advances
children's mental health.
Here's the rub.
Grief counselors are said to be an asset because they
make children feel safe. Life is not safe or it would
be incredibly boring. The National Education
Association has created at taxpayer expense a "Crisis
Communication Guide and Toolkit." Great. Just super.
How about enforcing basic standards so high school
students don't have to take remedial courses - in
college? So that they're not more afraid of taking
the SAT test than they are of - dying?
It is a contradiction in terms to think children
through grief counselors can feel protected and
reassured that they're safe. Grief counseling is a
healthy cash cow. You can get national certification
in grief counseling. What a country! The American
Academy of Grief Counselors assure us they can "bring
in" the grief counselors. Thank you. And thank
goodness parents can now turn to "pediatric" grief
counselors.
We can stop the madness. And we must. Our children
are depending on us.
S.1390 as written and if signed into law by the
Senate, would legally prohibit school personnel from
requiring that a child take any psychotropic drug
under the Controlled Substances Act as a condition of
attending school or receiving school services.
Parents and children would certainly benefit knowing
this bill would require each state to establish
policies and procedures to uphold a seemingly
psychiatric drug free education.
How could one possibly see a problem in this? The
very fact this kind of political reform is started
tells you we live in strange times. Students used to
be judged on their ideas, accomplishments and sense of
cooperation. Nowadays, students are more or less
judged on which mental disorder label they fall under
so as to be prescribed drugs to somehow make them feel
safe and part of a diverse community.
So, what gives?
This is what I really want to know. Grief counselors
or S.1390? What really helps kids? While kids are
undoubtedly impressionable, we do them no favors by
coddling them or denying them needed political reforms
in the arena of education and mental health.
If you foolishly believe all children are at risk and
drugging children is a proven scientific/social
solution to the majority of young minds, you'll
probably believe children are lucky to have grief
counselors around 24/7.
If you correctly see children and their parents need
not only a long break from professional psychobabble,
but the protection and justice a bill like S.1390
provides, you'll probably want to kick the grief
counselors out - and bring sanity and true safety -
back into our schools.
Let's really help our kids, shall we?
Zizza serves as Vice President/Georgia for the
non-profit organization, Parents
For Label and Drug Free Education.
Email comments to him at:
tz777@yahoo.com
