What is the purpose of public education? That is the question everyone needs to ask themselves.
Is it for workforce development? Under the Common Core reform, we are seeing a radical shift away from a academic based education to dumbed down workforce development.
Within this transformation we are seeing disturbing trends like the massive data collection on students. We are also witnessing another disturbing trend, and that is the shift to psychological services for students.
The Associated Press recently reported that, “N.H. schools seek to address mental health issues among students.” But what does this mean for NH students attending a public school?
According to the article, “High school officials are rolling out programs to help combat depression, anxiety and other mental health issues among New Hampshire students…..Many schools are taking proactive roles to stem the tide of those issues. Dover and Portsmouth high schools are providing individualized, intensive programs to help students work through their problems.”
So now our public schools that are transforming into dumbed down workforce training centers, will also provide psychological services too?
Is anyone disturbed by this radical transformation?
It’s important to note that a few local activists have been attempting to stop this radical transformation. For instance Michelle Levell wrote this article in 2013 when the New Hampshire Board of Ed mandated psychological services to students without parental consent.
Levell highlights the problems in the proposed rules calling attention to psychological services that can be administered without parental consent, no “opt-out” provision, and no fiscal note identifying the costs involved.
Parents need to begin the process of figuring out if their children can be treated without their knowledge or consent.
If their children are evaluated and treated, what kind of privacy protections are in place?
Where does the information gathered on their student go?
Can a parent notify the school and request that their child NOT be evaluated or treated?
In other words, can you opt your children out of any kind of psychological evaluation?
What will this cost the local taxpayers?
The New Hampshire Board of Education continually claims that all rules imposed on our local schools are derived from legislation passed by your local elected representatives. What legislation was passed in New Hampshire that gives authority to the APPOINTED Board of Ed Members to MANDATE this kind of treatment in our local schools?
The American Psychological Association has a STRICT code of ethics. It is important for parents to fully understand the governing factors licensed medical professionals must follow when treating patients. Are those who are treating students in New Hampshire licensed medical professionals? Do they follow the strict code of ethics when treating students?
We know that our schools are administering psychometric assessments without parental permission and currently ignoring the APA code of ethics. If school administrators are willing to ignore the code of ethics when testing your children, would they ignore the code of ethics when treating your children for mental illness?
Should our public schools now become the hub for social services? Or should they go back to focusing on educating our children?
We understand that there are going to be children who need social services who may not have access to needed treatment. Schools can certainly guide families to those services if needed. However changing the make-up of public education in such a radical way will only further dilute the academic foundation our children need and deserve.
If your child breaks their arm the parent is notified and the child is then taken by the parent to seek medical attention from licensed medical professionals. The local school is not in the business of administering medical treatment to children. That is not their mission.
So why are we allowing our local schools to become mental health facilities for our children?