TeenScreen, NAMI, Forced Vaccination and Societal

TeenScreen, NAMI, Forced Vaccination and Societal http://www.igroops.com/igroops/efn/blog/VIEW+00000002 This section covers everything from societal acceptance to bullying en Copyright 2008, E F N Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:14:10 GMT Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:14:10 GMT TeenScreen, NAMI, Forced Vaccination and Societal Decline http://www.igroops.com/igroops/efn/blog/VIEW+00000002+00000009#00000009 <img src="http://www.igroops.com/l1/efn/appdata/blog/00000009.jpg" border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5 align=left> TeenScreen is a program which is gaining popularity in the field of education across the country and, on the surface, is meant to find children who are in danger of commiting suicide or who have other mental health issues which could cause a miriad of problems for the child's education, life and family.  Below the surface, however, there is an epic amount of wealth to be gained from identifying yet another target market for the product lines of pharmaceutical businesses.  Having worked in International Sales and Marketing in computer peripheral manufacturing, I know that there is a great deal of pressure on both Marketing and Sales Departments by company owners, i.e. investors, to continuously increase revenue.  This includes introducing newer, higher-priced products, increasing sales volume through the distribution channel through "incentives" and ad campaigns, finding new markets for older product lines, identifying new markets for new products and creating a perceived demand for a product shortly to be introduced.  A good example of this is the urgent media push for the latest version of the flu vaccine.  Even when the strains in the latest vaccine are not the ones making the rounds this year "It's still a good idea to get your flu shots".  Little does the public at large realize that constant and targeted repetition of a message is highly successful.  Whichever side of the fence you reside, you need only look at the current presidential administration's campaign in 2004 to see its effectiveness.It seems the topic of TeenScreen increasingly makes its way to the headlines or inbox, and little did I know that it is being conducted right at our doorstep, namely in North Thurston School District in Lacey, WA.  The not-so-funny thing about this little-known fact is that North Thurston School District has such a hard time providing services to children with special needs -as witnessed in numerous IEP meetings with our families over the past couple years- but has the $200,000 available to pay for TeenScreen*. My question:  Does someone perhaps have any business ties, perks or financial investments we need to learn more about?  I wonder if there are any under-the-table kickbacks for schools which implement this program...  Why else would the schools implement such fuzzy Math not only in the classroom but in their publicly offered budget?  I'm not attacking schools, but rather posing the question.Earlier this year there was an <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2005/05/medicating_aliah.html" target="_blank">article in Mother Jones Magazine</a> covering a girl named Aliah who was removed from her home and forcefully medicated.  More and more the pharmaceutical industry is creeping into our lives and we need to be aware of the incremental tactis used to take away not only our sanity, but our children.Find your state's TeenScreen locations: <a href="http://www.teenscreen-locations.com/index.htm">http://www.teenscreen-locations.com/index.htm</a>In the last couple weeks there was great uproar about the so-called forced vaccination of children in Maryland.  Parents were given the option of submitting a waiver instead of vaccinating their child, though it seems many did not understand this was truly an option.  The school district was facing the loss of $165,000 per day for those unvaccinated children.  It wasn't about the children.  Neither is TeenScreen.The other thing I found interesting at the time but didn't know the whole story is that NAMI has huge amounts of funding from pharmaceutical companies and is basically a front nonprofit which allows them to do things a for-profit would not be legally able to do, such as run public service announcements for no fee, solicit and accept donations and offer tax write-offs.  Now granted, as a nonprofit head I understand the need for funding and that donations don't come easy.  I also understand the dire need for programs to help families - I've been there myself.Where it really hit home was when I attended their local program called "Family-To-Family Education Program".  The information was very interesting, the leaders very sincere in their efforts - truly very wonderful and benevolent people walking their own difficult path.  But it was odd that only pharmaceutical solutions were offered and discussed.  When I asked about alternatives such as nutritional intervention, herbs, supplements, bodywork, exercize, meditation and the whole gammut of natural health options, I was met with a blank stare similar to that of someone on those heavy pharmaceuticals.  Not one iota of complementary health information was known nor shared.  Attendees came to me during breaks to learn more.  How sad.How sad that we are merely sitting back and accepting what is obviously a very dangerous trend.  How sad that we simply accept what is asked of us by people who are obviously oblivious pions in a greater, darker issue.  How sad that we have given up defending our children's right to a free and appropriate public education without forced medication.  Or have we? * See article at <a href="http://www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html">http://www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html</a> Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:16:05 GMT Bullying and the Aftermath http://www.igroops.com/igroops/efn/blog/VIEW+00000002+00000002#00000002 A couple days ago my inbox beeped at me and I found an email from BullyPolice.org touting their new book "<a href="http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=662118" target="_blank">Bullycide in America</a>".  This topic hits home not only because one of our parent group families lost their son to bullycide, but I was personally bullied and beaten throughout the 7th grade.  Thankfully my parents stood their ground, which resulted in the principal being fired and the other girls receiving a visit from local authorities. Afterward I caught flack over that as well from students and school staff alike since the offending families and principal were prominent in the area. Weeks ago I was privey to the electronic version of this book and experienced flashbacks while reading one of the stories.  A punch to the stomach left a six-inch purple bruise, long nails gouged a deep scratch across my right cornea (still an issue today) and a tuft of hair was yanked from my head.  The adrenalin was pumping and I didn't feel the pain until later in the day. I'm 43, and you don't forget.Mid September a mother asked that I give her some guidance as to what to do for her now 15-year-old son who was at ca. 4th grade functioning level and had attended the local high school until almost the end of last school year when things blew out of proportion.  I understood the problem initially to be one of special education services not meeting his needs and learned during the process of speaking with school staff that he had been jumped by gang members and then beaten by other classmates at school after a teacher had called him a "narc" in front of other students.  Sometimes people don't realize how far-reaching their moment of thoughtlessness can be, and for this boy that brief moment now means a deviation in his education.  Mom shared he had been teased on-going before he got in the faces of the bullies and stood up for himself.  Messages have gotten to him out of juvenile detention that he's theirs to hospitalize...  Mom is now homeschooling him because both fear for his safety at school, even after promises of improvement in school safety plans.  Why didn't safety precautions work in the first place?Earlier this year I attended an IEP meeting where I learned that school staff had been loudly chastising this boy in front of other high school students.  The diagnosis was Tourette Syndrome and, unbenounced to the Special Ed Teacher (!??!?!), this causes high anxiety and the tics become worse and quite embarassing.  As I watched this teacher play with her hair and stare at the ceiling during this critical junction of understanding, I saw that the student wasn't the problem - it was the adults.  Adult bullies in a place where we bring our children each day and trust that their well-being is first and foremost, and a teacher awaiting her retirement after twenty-plus years of employment and not caring enough to read the literature I purchased for her on Tourette Syndrome which could make a world of difference for this boy if only she dared try.I cannot comment on the case of a family in our parent group who is currently going the legal route with the loss of their son due to bullying at school, but I can tell you that the devastation is far-reaching and you clearly see the broken souls in the eyes of these loving parents.  I understand the school still claims there is no bullying on their campus - what a slap in the face of people who just want an apology, an admission and for things to improve for others.There is a place in Portland OR called "<a href="http://www.dougy.org/" target="_blank">The Dougy Center</a>" where childhood loss is addressed in a very systematic way and parents are helped through the process as well.  Providence St. Peter's offers a program in the Olympia-Lacey area called "<a href="http://www.providence.org/swsa/facilities/soundhomecare/hospice/e35kids.htm" target="_blank">Sound Care Kids</a>" which my son and I have also attended and it is very well done with caring staff and furry four-legged assistants.  In case your child ever loses a loved one this is a good place to start.BullyPolice.org also supports "<a href="http://www.thereadings.net/wanda/" target="_blank">The Wanda Project</a>" a great song which is raising money to create a video on this topic to be brought to schools across the nation.  Good song, even for those who don't like Country.  Listen in, you might gain some perspective on your school days and how the sadness in other children's eye might still affect you.Share your own stories - you'd be surprised that you're not alone...  Mon, 01 Oct 2007 05:11:57 GMT