Teen Screen - Winning this War

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Kenosha - The Rest of the Story - "Fierce Debate over TeenScreen"Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:11:24 -0500Lisa Loring <loring_lisa > loring_lisa hasbeen one of most vocal opponents against TeenScreen in Kenosha,Wisconsin.She and her counterparts won the TeenScreen battle despite oppositionfrom the school administration, some local duped groups, the State ofWisconsin that felt the need to recommend TeenScreen and NAMI (anywhereTeenScreen is proposed, you will always find NAMI there pushing it)Lisa's press release which you can find here:http://dailykenoshan.com/index.php?option=com_content<http://dailykenoshan.com/index.php?option=com_content & task=view & id=3809 & Itemid=408> & task=view & id=3809 & Itemid=408 summarizes her investigationand offers a common sense solution. According to reports obtained fromthe Kenosha medical examiner on kids who committed suicide in KenoshaCounty since the year 2000 and without doing a single interview toobtain more information and without extensive toxicology texting - itwas found that 53% had psychiatric drugs mentioned in the reportsChris Barncard, the reporter for the Kenosha News who wrote the belowstory, chose to ignore the facts that Lisa dug up.The Signs of Suicide program mentioned in the below article receivesmilliions in pharmaceutical funding. You can find their tax recordshere: www.signsofsuicide.org TeenScreen is the primo target againstscreening of America's children but don't pass up any opportunity towhack SOS with their own tax records .www.kenoshanews.com<http://www.kenoshanews.com/> Kenosha NewsKenosha NewsFebruary 15, 2007Unified drops TeenScreen from suicide prevention planBy Chris BarncardThe Kenosha Unified School Board will not consider including ColumbiaUniversity TeenScreen in a plan to bolster suicide prevention programsin the district, according to Eric Olson, Unififed School Boardpresident.Olsson said the School Board will vote on suicide prevention measuresFeb 27, but TeenScreen will not be part of the discussion. He saidmoving forward with other parts of the district's plan was too importantto allow the entire package to bog down in the emotional and sometimesfierce debate over TeenScreen, designed to identify teenagers at risk ofdepressional and suicidal behavior."We felt we had incomplete information on the pgogram, and ther arealternatives out there," Olson said. "So we can get the rest of it goingand not hold the rest of this up. TeenScreen will not be a p art of it."TeenScreen had more supports than opponents, Olson said."Parents, parents of kids who have attempted suicide and who've died,they've talked to me in favor this, "I"ve got many more" supportivecomments, Olson said. "Every agency in town, they were behind this."But TeenScreen will be set aside by the board because it was just onepart, and not the linchpin, in Unified's efforts."We just have a lot of questions about it." Olso said. "This seems likea piece that we can take out and still get the rest going."In part, board member Pam Stevens said questions she asked set heragaisnt using the screeing program."You ask a question about TeenScreen one day and it's one answer, andyou ask the same question another day and you get another answer," shesaid. "There were too many inconsistencies. It opened us up to troublein the future if we couldn't be sure about it now."Her own research convince her that there was no evidence that TeenScreenwould prevent suicides, and Strevens wouldn't mind if TeenScreen wentaway and stayed away."I'm hoping that it will never come back," she said. "I'm personallyhoping I never have to hear it again."On Wednesday Kenosha parents Lisa Loring, one of TeenScreen's most vocallocal opponents, posted "TeenScreen is dead in Kenosha" notices on Websited dedicated to the cause."The school administration made the correct decision in refusing toallow TeenScreen into our school distract and they should be applauded,"Loring said in a press release.Jack Rose, head of the Kenosha cahpter of the pro-TeenScreen NationalAlliance on Mental Illness, was disappointed in the School Board.TeenScreen requires consent from a parent and the assent of the studentbefore the child sits down to take the program's computerized survey."I know there are some people out there that are quite outspoken, andthat's their position," Rose ssaid of TeenScreen's detractors. "But noteverybody thinks that way. Don't take it away from parents who wouldlike to use it."Steven expectes Unifiieds's administrators to propose expanding thenumber of schools using Signs of Suicide, a state-recommneded prgoramaimed at teaching students to help their friends through the acronymACT: Acknowledge a friends' problem, Care for that person. Tell astrusted adult about your concerns.Stevens said an Indian Trail Academy student told the Board in Januarythat students wanted the district to find a way to hhelp studentssupport each other, and she wishes district administrators would look tostudents for suggestions. In December, she said, an Indian Trail studenttold the board that his peers want some help supporting each other, notsurveys."I kept wondering, "Has anyone spoken to the children?" Stevens said."they have spoken eloquently about what they need."Olson said he also would like to see more3 peer support programs."This come from the students," he said. "They've said they want this."_____If you need an item for your "good deed of the day list" informeveryone you can: <http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html>http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

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