This is an extremely important issue to parents right now!! However it’s important to first know the qualifications of the individual who will be working directly with children. They should be LICENSED and an expert in their field.
1) What information are they collecting on the children they work with ?
2) Where does that information go?
3)Who has access to it?
4)What ethics codes does the counselor follow?
5)Are parents notified if their child is working with the counselor?
6)Do parents have access to all records kept on their children?
IT IS CRITICAL TO FIND OUT IF ANY INFORMATION LIKE THIS GOES INTO THE STATE LONGITUDINAL DATA-BASE!!
I am reposting as I have done my research and I am very concerned with this. First, an individual with an MSW CPS degree is only a social worker (CPS) stands for child protective service.
What qualifications does this individual have to be counseling our children?
Second, there is a huge difference between a school psychologist and a clinical psychologist approximately 1/2 the education.
Third, with all the money spent by the district to educate our children about drugs and alcohol, why do we need a program to correct erroneous perceptions about substance use?
This should be an opt in program, not an opt out. This is another waste of precious academic time. The district runs these programs because, unfortunately, parents are very busy and do not get a chance to read everything that comes home, that is if their student even brings it home. Speak with your children daily and find out what is happening in school. Nothing should be a secret.
