If you don't think your anxiety, depression, sadness and stress impact your physical health, think again. All of these emotions trigger chemical reactions in your body, which can lead to inflammation and a weakened immune system. Learn how to cope, sweet friend. There will always be dark days. -Kris Carr, New York Times Best selling author
Last week, I was honored to speak at a community forum about suicide and mental health. Our community has experienced a rash of suicides, including two students, and close to 2,000 people attended. After the forum, I spoke with some of those that attended and told me their stories very similar to mine. They had lost a child, or had one battling mental illness. I wasn't able to talk with everyone, and handed out my card to others asking them to call or email me.
One of the emails I received was from John* asking me to call him to speak about his daughter. Because it was Mother's Day weekend, I had to put it off a few days when I did get a hold of him, he was most anxious to talk. It seems young daughter Nancy* began to deal with the symptoms of depression and anxiety during the fall of her freshman year of high school. By January, Nancy, a child that had just been moved up to the varsity swim team, was barely able to leave her room.
Her father was near tears as he told me this. It has to be hard, as a parent, to see your once vibrant child reduced to a shadow of their former self.
As we continued to talk, he made a comment that struck home. He asked why a school will have three athletic trainers to fix an athlete's body to get them back on the field, but no one to fix their mind to get them back in the classroom. He made a good point. Many of the larger schools in Texas have athletic trainers on the staff. They treat athletic, (as well as band, drill team, and cheer leading injuries), and are a blessing, especially at lower income schools where many student athletes don't have access to sports medicine. Don't get me wrong, as a coach, I am grateful for the training staff at our school. They do an incredible job, and treat all athletes, regardless of sport, equally, and because of them, our student athletes are able to compete at a high level.
But what about the students that are injured mentally? What is being done for them? I know schools have guidance counselors on campus, but how many are sufficiently trained to handle students with severe mental health issues, and just like any other profession from teaching, to chefs, to knife throwers, there are those that are good, and those, eh, not so much.
When I look at the faculty roster for a random high school, there are three people listed as Diagnostician/Psychological Assoc., but after further research, that means they hold the title Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) An LSSP will evaluate kids for Special Education (SPED) using testing materials much like a psychologist, but they are generally not a school psychologist, as that requires a Doctorate according to Texas state law. An LSSP is trained to evaluation children and adolescents’ behavioral, emotional, and social functioning in order to help them succeed academically. An LSSP can provide direct services such as behavioral interventions; therapy; consultation with teachers, parents and other professionals; and make recommendations for whether or not a child might qualify for special education services. In addition, the LSSP may only provide services in a school and not outside. According to the job description I found on several district websites, the majority of LSSp's are generally in special education, and do not counsel most students. Once again, I am not trying to diminish the work of an LSSP. Theirs is a nonstop job of meetings, consultations, evaluations, and the reams of paper work that the state and districts require.
I went to several district websites and accessed the student/parent handbook. This used to go home every year, but is now available on line for easy access provided you have internet access. Of the ones that mentioned suicide, they all had, word for word, the same statement:
Suicide Awareness: The district is committed to partnering with parents to support the healthy
mental, emotional, and behavioral development of its students. If you are concerned about your
child, please access http://www.texassuicideprevention.org or contact the school counselor for
more information related to suicide prevention services available in your area.
It is though they have a one size fits all approach to the issue, if they even approach the topic.
Unfortunately, there were several multi-school 6A districts that made no mention of suicide in their handbook.
Take some time to look over the staff roster for your child's district. You will see teachers listed as the Intervention Specialist, the Response to Intervention Support Teacher, the Student Success Teacher, Psychological Associates, Counselors, LSSP's, and Professional Athletic Trainers. All are there for your kids. All have their best interests at heart, but how many are there when your child has issues beyond grades, standardized tests, or sprained ankles? Isn't it time school districts devoted time and money to mental, as well as physical health? As a tax payer, you have a say in how things are done in your district. Attend board meetings, rally other parents, talk to the board members you elected. If they are going to spend money to treat an athlete's body, then they can spend the money to treat your child's mind
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Standardized Testing Matters...Kid's Lives, Not So Much
We are raising today's children in sterile, risk-averse and highly structured environments. In so doing, we are failing to cultivate artists, pioneers and entrepreneurs, and instead cultivating a generation of children who can follow the rules in organized sports games, sit for hours in front of screens and mark bubbles on standardized tests. Darell Hammond, CEO KaBoom
In June of 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed HB2186, The Jason Flatt Act in Memory of Johnathan Childers, into law. The law requires that all Texas schools train their teachers, counselors, and administrators on suicide recognition and prevention. I helped lobby for HB2186. I wrote numerous emails, made dozens of posts to social media, and met face to face with lawmakers and their staffs. The bill passed both the House and Senate of the Texas legislature almost unanimously, and because of that, went into effect immediately after being signed.
Before this law went into effect, Texas had no mandatory training, and the only time I can remember having any training in my 25 years as a teacher was after a student suicide. Because of my involvement, I anxiously anticipated what my school would come up with. In addition to my son Peyton (not a student at our school), we lost a young lady to suicide the previous school year. I was expecting this training to be in depth and informative. What we received, could have been taken off the home page from any of a dozen suicide prevention web sites.
It began with the introduction of our "...exciting suicide training," followed by our lead counselor stating "I know we did this last year, but now state law says we have to do it again." After this statement many of those in attendance turned to look at me and gauge my reaction. I tried to look impassive, but inside I was seething. I wanted to walk out while shouting, "Are you f-ing kidding me?" Not only appalled by the casual manner that this matter was treated with, but also with the incorrect information that was presented (i.e. cutters aren't suicidal), and the fact that a presentation designed to help save lives too less than 15 minutes to complete. I left as quickly as I could and went upstairs to my classroom. I was fuming, but what could I do. If the topic had mattered, then more time would have been given to it.
Fast forward eight months. So far this year, our district has endured two student suicides, two suicides by 2015 graduates, and a teacher suicide ( see #PrayForTheVictims). I am able to count on less than one hand the number of times that the district has addressed this topic.After each death, they had the prerequisite counselors on campus, but let's face it, these are high school guidance counselors, not crisis counselors. It would not surprise me if each one had a laminated sheet covered with cliches to say.
Yesterday I attended STAAR training. For those of you, STAAR is the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. It is our state mandated test that our entire school year revolves around. Everything we do in core subjects is some how related to STAAR. Even if your students have passed all five STAAR tests, you are still judged based upon their results of STAAR based common assessments provided by the district (which are STAAR tests that have been released by the state). However, if you have a student in a core class that is not tested, but failed STAAR in a class related to your class (i.e. if the student failed the Algebra I test and you teach Geometry), you are required to come up with a plan to help that student pass when they retake the test.
Like Suicide Awareness and Prevention training, STAAR training is mandated by the state. All teachers involved with the STAAR are required to attend this training. There are multiple training sessions where you must sign in, sit through the training conducted by the campus testing specialist, go over, in detail, the procedures for the day, possible testing irregularities, setting up the testing environment, starting times, ending times, the role of each tester, the handling of materials, and of course, the litany of circumstances that could cause a teacher to lose their certification. At the end, all teachers are required to initial, sign, and date an oath stating that we have been trained, and will do anything and everything to All in all, this training takes about 30, or twice that of Suicide and Prevention training.
At my school if a student fails STAAR, they are provided with a Bootcamp in the summer where they are given intense tutoring and lessons designed to help on the summer retake. During the school year, those students are pulled out of class for one on one instruction, a full blitz day with teachers the day before the retake. We even have a one semester elective class for kids that failed the English I or English II STAAR test.
On the other hand, if a student says that they want to harm themselves, they are kept under observation by the counselor or administrator until a parent comes to pick them up. After that, they may check on them from time to time, but that is about it. There are no special classes for them, no summer programs, nothing.
Now don't get me wrong, no student should graduate high school without the basic skills necessary to function in society. But as I stated in my earlier entry Dead Kids Don't Take Tests, you can't test a dead student. Living is also a requirement for graduation. It is even a generally accepted fact that living people are more productive than those that are not.
I realize that schools are under tremendous pressure to have high test scores. There are district and state rankings to think about, and during the course of the year, more kids will fail the Algebra I section of the test than take their own lives, but for the love of all that is holy, something must be done. I know I am not in the minority of educators when I say I didn't get into education to teach a test. I got in because of my love of literature and writing, and because I give a damn about the whole student. I coach not only because of my love of sports, but because it allows me to see kids in a different light, in an environment where they not only want to be, but they can also measure their improvement in relation to their effort.
I know high stakes testing is not going away any time soon, but if public education going to continue to throw money and manpower into preparing students, and put so much emphasis on the outcome, then shouldn't they make an effort to assure that the students are there to take it.
In June of 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed HB2186, The Jason Flatt Act in Memory of Johnathan Childers, into law. The law requires that all Texas schools train their teachers, counselors, and administrators on suicide recognition and prevention. I helped lobby for HB2186. I wrote numerous emails, made dozens of posts to social media, and met face to face with lawmakers and their staffs. The bill passed both the House and Senate of the Texas legislature almost unanimously, and because of that, went into effect immediately after being signed.
Before this law went into effect, Texas had no mandatory training, and the only time I can remember having any training in my 25 years as a teacher was after a student suicide. Because of my involvement, I anxiously anticipated what my school would come up with. In addition to my son Peyton (not a student at our school), we lost a young lady to suicide the previous school year. I was expecting this training to be in depth and informative. What we received, could have been taken off the home page from any of a dozen suicide prevention web sites.
It began with the introduction of our "...exciting suicide training," followed by our lead counselor stating "I know we did this last year, but now state law says we have to do it again." After this statement many of those in attendance turned to look at me and gauge my reaction. I tried to look impassive, but inside I was seething. I wanted to walk out while shouting, "Are you f-ing kidding me?" Not only appalled by the casual manner that this matter was treated with, but also with the incorrect information that was presented (i.e. cutters aren't suicidal), and the fact that a presentation designed to help save lives too less than 15 minutes to complete. I left as quickly as I could and went upstairs to my classroom. I was fuming, but what could I do. If the topic had mattered, then more time would have been given to it.
Fast forward eight months. So far this year, our district has endured two student suicides, two suicides by 2015 graduates, and a teacher suicide ( see #PrayForTheVictims). I am able to count on less than one hand the number of times that the district has addressed this topic.After each death, they had the prerequisite counselors on campus, but let's face it, these are high school guidance counselors, not crisis counselors. It would not surprise me if each one had a laminated sheet covered with cliches to say.
Yesterday I attended STAAR training. For those of you, STAAR is the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. It is our state mandated test that our entire school year revolves around. Everything we do in core subjects is some how related to STAAR. Even if your students have passed all five STAAR tests, you are still judged based upon their results of STAAR based common assessments provided by the district (which are STAAR tests that have been released by the state). However, if you have a student in a core class that is not tested, but failed STAAR in a class related to your class (i.e. if the student failed the Algebra I test and you teach Geometry), you are required to come up with a plan to help that student pass when they retake the test.
Like Suicide Awareness and Prevention training, STAAR training is mandated by the state. All teachers involved with the STAAR are required to attend this training. There are multiple training sessions where you must sign in, sit through the training conducted by the campus testing specialist, go over, in detail, the procedures for the day, possible testing irregularities, setting up the testing environment, starting times, ending times, the role of each tester, the handling of materials, and of course, the litany of circumstances that could cause a teacher to lose their certification. At the end, all teachers are required to initial, sign, and date an oath stating that we have been trained, and will do anything and everything to All in all, this training takes about 30, or twice that of Suicide and Prevention training.
At my school if a student fails STAAR, they are provided with a Bootcamp in the summer where they are given intense tutoring and lessons designed to help on the summer retake. During the school year, those students are pulled out of class for one on one instruction, a full blitz day with teachers the day before the retake. We even have a one semester elective class for kids that failed the English I or English II STAAR test.
On the other hand, if a student says that they want to harm themselves, they are kept under observation by the counselor or administrator until a parent comes to pick them up. After that, they may check on them from time to time, but that is about it. There are no special classes for them, no summer programs, nothing.
Now don't get me wrong, no student should graduate high school without the basic skills necessary to function in society. But as I stated in my earlier entry Dead Kids Don't Take Tests, you can't test a dead student. Living is also a requirement for graduation. It is even a generally accepted fact that living people are more productive than those that are not.
I realize that schools are under tremendous pressure to have high test scores. There are district and state rankings to think about, and during the course of the year, more kids will fail the Algebra I section of the test than take their own lives, but for the love of all that is holy, something must be done. I know I am not in the minority of educators when I say I didn't get into education to teach a test. I got in because of my love of literature and writing, and because I give a damn about the whole student. I coach not only because of my love of sports, but because it allows me to see kids in a different light, in an environment where they not only want to be, but they can also measure their improvement in relation to their effort.
I know high stakes testing is not going away any time soon, but if public education going to continue to throw money and manpower into preparing students, and put so much emphasis on the outcome, then shouldn't they make an effort to assure that the students are there to take it.
Monday, April 18, 2016
#PrayForTheVictims
Thursday night, as we were heading home from our track meet, one of the other coaches exclaimed, "Holy Shit!!!" as he was looking at the phone. He then showed us a news report that the head softball coach at another high school in our district had been charged with sexual assault of a child after accusations of an improper relationship with a player on his team. He then stated that the coach was on the run, a warrant had been issued, and police were seeking the public's help in locating him.
It was shocking, and the rest of us started to look at our phones as well hoping for any kind of information. There really was nothing other than what we had already seen. Even this morning when I looked, more news sources had run the story, but there was nothing that hadn't already been said.
About ten minutes before the end of my conference period, one of the other coaches came into my room. He told me that they had found the coach, and that he had taken his own life. I was asked not to say anything until the district had released a statement.
When I looked at the article in the Houston Chronicle, the comments were scathing. People had already tried and convicted the man in the court of public opinion. Some going so far as to say it was "the only right decision" he made. Maybe he was guilty, and if so, he should have had to face justice, but then again, he wouldn't be the first teacher to have his career ruined by false accusations. Regardless of the truth, today we have to #PrayForTheVictims.
Who are the victims here? Unfortunately, there are many. Let's start with the obvious, the 16 year old girl at the heart of accusation that may have led to the coach's suicide. Regardless of whatever physical attributes this girl posses, she is still just a girl. Despite the fact that most 16 year old kids think they know all there is to know, the reality is that they know very little. Maybe she the victim of a predator, a man that abused his position of authority to take advantage of her, or perhaps she had made advances and been rejected or had her playing time reduced and thought that making accusations would be a good way to get him back. Sadly for her, there are many in the comments section of the paper that are more than ready to blame the victim and think she should be held accountable as well. Regardless of the case, she is going to need support, support and more support.
The teachers, administrators he encountered every day are victims. Many will be angry and feel betrayed. They will wonder how they were "fooled" by this man. Will they begin to doubt themselves, will they go back in their minds and replay every conversation they ever had, will they over analyze every clue they will think they missed? It will be hard for all. Some will be dragged in for repeated questioning, placed under undue stress, and have their professionalism called into question, and once they think it is over, have it happen all over again when the inevitable civil trials begin. Others will look for some one to blame, as it makes most feel better when there is concrete blame assigned. They will say they knew something was amiss, but no one would listen. They will blame the culture of athletics and how people were more concerned with trophies and victories than academics and the students.
Speaking of students and athletes, imagine coming to school Friday morning with everyone abuzz about the accusations against the coach, only to find out that he was now dead by his own hand. There is a different bond between students/athletes and teachers than there is among colleagues. For many, a male teacher/coach is more than just a teacher. They can serve as a father figure, a role model, and an inspiration. The kind of anger and betrayal they experience will be different from that of the adults. They may turn away from the adults, after all they were taught to trust them. They may find different ways to act out in rebellion and will need ongoing support.
The most prominent victims are his wife and three kids. First and foremost, they lost a husband and father respectively. As if the shock of losing a loved one to suicide was not enough, now throw in the accusations and charges. How can a family recover from such a thing? The rumors and speculation are already overwhelming, how will they feel as the investigation continues and this man is dragged through the court of public opinion?
In the not so distant future, the investigation will conclude, the findings made public, the civil suits will be settled, the classes will graduate, a new coach will be hired, the team will take the field, the whole ugly incident will be talked about less and less, and life for many will go on. unfortunately, life for the victims will change for ever. There will be no forgetting, moving on, or getting over. That is why I ask you one more time, #PrayForTheVictims.
Author's Note: The above is my opinion, and my opinion only. It is based on my experiences survivor of suicide, and a teacher/coach for 25 years.
It was shocking, and the rest of us started to look at our phones as well hoping for any kind of information. There really was nothing other than what we had already seen. Even this morning when I looked, more news sources had run the story, but there was nothing that hadn't already been said.
About ten minutes before the end of my conference period, one of the other coaches came into my room. He told me that they had found the coach, and that he had taken his own life. I was asked not to say anything until the district had released a statement.
When I looked at the article in the Houston Chronicle, the comments were scathing. People had already tried and convicted the man in the court of public opinion. Some going so far as to say it was "the only right decision" he made. Maybe he was guilty, and if so, he should have had to face justice, but then again, he wouldn't be the first teacher to have his career ruined by false accusations. Regardless of the truth, today we have to #PrayForTheVictims.
Who are the victims here? Unfortunately, there are many. Let's start with the obvious, the 16 year old girl at the heart of accusation that may have led to the coach's suicide. Regardless of whatever physical attributes this girl posses, she is still just a girl. Despite the fact that most 16 year old kids think they know all there is to know, the reality is that they know very little. Maybe she the victim of a predator, a man that abused his position of authority to take advantage of her, or perhaps she had made advances and been rejected or had her playing time reduced and thought that making accusations would be a good way to get him back. Sadly for her, there are many in the comments section of the paper that are more than ready to blame the victim and think she should be held accountable as well. Regardless of the case, she is going to need support, support and more support.
The teachers, administrators he encountered every day are victims. Many will be angry and feel betrayed. They will wonder how they were "fooled" by this man. Will they begin to doubt themselves, will they go back in their minds and replay every conversation they ever had, will they over analyze every clue they will think they missed? It will be hard for all. Some will be dragged in for repeated questioning, placed under undue stress, and have their professionalism called into question, and once they think it is over, have it happen all over again when the inevitable civil trials begin. Others will look for some one to blame, as it makes most feel better when there is concrete blame assigned. They will say they knew something was amiss, but no one would listen. They will blame the culture of athletics and how people were more concerned with trophies and victories than academics and the students.
Speaking of students and athletes, imagine coming to school Friday morning with everyone abuzz about the accusations against the coach, only to find out that he was now dead by his own hand. There is a different bond between students/athletes and teachers than there is among colleagues. For many, a male teacher/coach is more than just a teacher. They can serve as a father figure, a role model, and an inspiration. The kind of anger and betrayal they experience will be different from that of the adults. They may turn away from the adults, after all they were taught to trust them. They may find different ways to act out in rebellion and will need ongoing support.
The most prominent victims are his wife and three kids. First and foremost, they lost a husband and father respectively. As if the shock of losing a loved one to suicide was not enough, now throw in the accusations and charges. How can a family recover from such a thing? The rumors and speculation are already overwhelming, how will they feel as the investigation continues and this man is dragged through the court of public opinion?
In the not so distant future, the investigation will conclude, the findings made public, the civil suits will be settled, the classes will graduate, a new coach will be hired, the team will take the field, the whole ugly incident will be talked about less and less, and life for many will go on. unfortunately, life for the victims will change for ever. There will be no forgetting, moving on, or getting over. That is why I ask you one more time, #PrayForTheVictims.
Author's Note: The above is my opinion, and my opinion only. It is based on my experiences survivor of suicide, and a teacher/coach for 25 years.
Sunday, January 3, 2016
An Open Letter to School Boards Everywhere
To School Boards Everywhere:
My name is David James. I am a teacher and coach at College Park High School in The Woodlands, Texas, part of the Conroe Independent School District. I was hoping that I might have a few minutes of your time. I would like to talk to all of you about suicide. I know it is not a popular topic, and honestly, it is not an easy to talk about, and in some areas, it may even be taboo, but it is one that must be addressed, and you, as school boards have an obligation to the students of your districts. The majority of their parents voted for you, so you have an obligation.
I realize this may not be the best time for many of you. It is January, and for all the districts in Texas, that means that STAAR testing is just two and a half months away, in Massachusetts, the first part of the MCAS is less than a month away, our neighbors to the far north in Alaska will be getting AMPed up in March, and in the Heartland, Nebraskans will be looking forward to (or dreading) the NeSA. These tests are serious business. For some students, they determine if students should repeat a grade, and for others, if they will graduate. I know that high stakes testing is a big deal to many of you. After all, accountability ratings are important, as are state funds, but kids can't be tested if they are no longer with us.
I speak from experience when I say this. I lost my 13 year old son Peyton in October of 2014 after he hung himself. He was an eighth grader at Forbes Middle School in Georgetown, Texas. In no way am I abdicating my parental responsibility. Peyton's mother and I knew Peyton was suffering emotionally. He was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. We got him into counseling, and, through his doctor, were trying to find medications to help, but had not found one that provided the desired results. Unfortunately, we seem to be the exception, not the rule. Since Peyton's death, I have talked to other parents who lost children to suicide, and the most common threads in the narratives were "We never saw it coming" or "We had no idea our child was suicidal" and "They always seemed so happy."
To many, it may seem puzzling that these parents were in the dark about their children, and it is easy to dismiss these parents as neglectful, but one of the many things I have learned over my 25 years as an educator, kids are really good at hiding things, especially when it comes to mental health. Students in class rooms across the country, including your district, suffer in silence. They know that something is wrong with them, but they don't know what. They look around the room and mistakenly think they are the only one that feels different. They fear saying anything because they don't want to be ostracized or humiliated by their peers. They don't want to talk to talk to teachers, or counselors, or administrators for the same reasons. Well, that, plus we are adults, which means we would never understand.
Because education has become data driven, here is some data provided by the #JasonFoundation and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
- Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for ages 10-24. (CDC)
- Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for college-age youth and ages 12-18. (CDC)
- More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, COMBINED.
- Each day in our nation there are an average of over 5,400 attempts by young people grades 7-12.
- Four out of Five teens who attempt suicide have given clear warning signs
- Over the past decade, however, the rate has again increased to 12.1 per 100,000. Every day, approximately 105 Americans die by suicide. (CDC)
- There is one death by suicide in the US every 13 minutes. (CDC)
- 16% of students reported seriously considering suicide. (CDC)
- 13% of students reported creating a plan. (CDC)
The same weekend that we lost Peyton, a junior at Georgetown High School took his life. Since then, I personally know of SEVEN student suicides just within Texas. The ages ranged from a ten year old in San Antonio to a senior in Rogers. The two most recent taking place here in the Woodlands within two weeks of each other. Through various message boards, Facebook groups, and the #PeytonHeartProject, I have been lucky to talk to parents across the country and around the world. To a person, we all agree that more can, and should, be done to educate not only students, but their parents (we grew up in an age when no one spoke of such things and could use the help).
So what can a school board do? Some states have enacted the #JasonFlattAct, that require regular training for teachers and staff in suicide recognition and prevention. If such a law exist in your state, make sure that it is followed and implemented. If not, lobby your state officials to pass such a law (such laws can be enacted with ZERO fiscal note). Even if there is no state law, what is to stop you from implementing policy locally? You could bring in experts from the community to speak to the students and/or the parents. You can enact programs designed to give students a safe place to go where they can talk to some one trained to deal with these problems. Yes, I understand that some of these things cost money, but is some one really going to complain that you are trying to save lives?
I know I have presented quite a bit for you to think about. I also know that there are people on the board or in the community that will disagree. They will say it is the responsibility of the parents to deal with the issue of suicide, and that schools should just stay with teaching core subjects and how to pass the state mandated standardized tests, but they are wrong. Mark Twain once said, "God made the Idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board." I want you to do the right thing and prove him wrong. After all, we can't teach them if they aren't there.
Sincerely,
David James
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