Mentally troubled students overwhelm schools

[azurnoir]

He said that a voice in his head, the one he sometimes calls Mr. Angry, told him to bring it to school — and threatened to punish him if he didn’t.

Hours later, after getting angry with his teacher, Gianni set fire to a bulletin board outside a special education classroom. The blaze was quickly doused with water bottles, but school officials had him arrested. He was charged with arson.

Gianni, who has been seeing a psychologist since the age of 3, spent the next 37 days in juvenile detention, five times longer than the typical adolescent accused of a crime in Ramsey County.

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In an interview, senior DHS officials conceded the move from institutional care has created a service “gap” for at least 100 students with behavioral problems too intense for schools or for existing state facilities. Minnesota may have to create a new type of facility that would provide intensive psychiatric care to such students for as long as three months, as well as offer other services, said Glenace Edwall, the department’s director of children’s mental health services.

http://www.startribune.com/local/216300511.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue

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this is a long article but worth a read, as it deals with an issue that affects many schools and states albeit this one takes place in MN

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. This also explains the increased suspension rate.

And the zero tolerance policy so many here complain about.

[knitter4democracy]

2. I've taught some of those students. They need more than we can give.

It just gets overwhelming when you start hearing them talk about the voices in their heads or they start rapid cycling. Thank you, Reagan, for screwing all of that up.

[mbperrin]

3. Schools are being asked to do things they are not set up to do.

It's like asking your dentist to give you a little exfoliation while you're there. He's highly trained, but not in that.

The specialized facilities needed will be expensive, but more expensive than apartments and garages and schools being burned, and neighbors hit in the head with hammers? Nope.

[warrant46]

6. The repukes won't spend the money

[mbperrin]

7. They don't want to, so we'll have to make sure they get some of that hammer

treatment. The natural consequences of their crap is just starting to become obvious to lots of people.

That's when they turn into the Whigs? Who? That's right.

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. My paraprofessional from the 1980's was just permanently disabled.

Evidently student slammed the holding room door during a tantrum.

Para's hand was unluckily in the way. Result: two fingers amputated and RH pretty much permanently useless.

58 years old an he's gotta go the rest of the way w. only LH.

Wonderful.

We tried for years to get staff added protections from extremely violent kids.

Here's what UFT/AFT did for us:

[femmocrat]

5. Yep, we get everyone regardless of disability.

And next year they will all be 100% Proficient! We are miracle workers, ya know!