S/He’s Crazy

I am as guilty as many for using that expression be it both passive and aggressive. But in reality I have used it professionally. The term is often a bland name to dismiss someone’s behavior or ignore them when we don’t agree or understand their view. I could say that about Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, but I think I actually mean it. There is something wrong there when you read her texts and missives to others regarding the election of 2020 and her hysterics over Trump’s loss. Her reaction is as nuts as Trump’s and the irony is that Trump and aides referred to Ginni as nuts during his time in the White House dealing with her. And with that I have called Trump mentally unstable and still do to this day. At some level in the diagnostic tool of mental health, The DSM, has I am sure one if not many potential mental health disorders for which he qualifies. That also said it used to claim being Homosexual was a mental illness, so there you go. Today they have added Grief as a mental illness in which to diagnose and in turn receive insurance payments for that treatment which I am sure will include a wild series of costly drugs to add to the pharmacy cabinet; no matter what the ailment it seems most disorders do seem to rely on meds to treat them. Go figure.

Today I read an interesting article in the Washington Post, challenging the notion that the pandemic has contributed to a rising tide of mental illness in children, the idea that was prior to the pandemic it is in fact the same but it was not good before so there you go. To that I concur. In my experience working with kids in schools the reality is that it is the same as it ever was, bad, real bad. But the spectrum of which that falls is rather large. There are serious learning disabilities that I don’t consider mental illness and in turn are often again treated with meds and the child is the sole source of the problem. This includes ADHD and Autism. They are very very different illnesses and with a diagnosis of Autism that too crosses a broad spectrum that simply means an entire adjustment of expectations by the family and those with whom they work for or with. Teachers who know a child is on the spectrum can simply not use the same measures of discipline and expectations and in turn avoid the endless circle of what comprises cause and effect of discipline in a classroom. Well that is if one exists I have not been in many classrooms that have said expectations and in turn repercussions for children who fail to meet them. This has been largely due to the racial component and with that a child is often simply classified as a “behavioral problem” versus one who has perhaps a serious learning disorder or mental health issue. And families of color are already resistant to the labels of SPED so they are not willing or if are able to find those who can diagnose and treat appropriately. This is an issue the article discusses in length and when you look at the comment section you see affirmations of how race and racism contributes to the stress.

My last sub gig which I have written about where I truly thought about suicide as I wondered if this was all there is had a redo. Yes the school sent me back in there as the rotating cast of subs have equally hated the gig and this was the straw for me telling the office to NEVER put me in this woman’s class again. The problems are all on the Teacher, she is retiring, a coddler and again teaches health where there is no accountability for her curriculum in the testing measurements; that she is also a Coach, that enables her to have a faux concern for students masked as acceptance but is in fact ignorance. I will never forget her coming into the class and ignoring my presence which again says a strong message to anyone in her orbit. Did I take it personally? No and yes because I was there and the reality is that I was angry as a person and professional. Do I know this woman? No and let’s keep it that way or it will get personal. And with that the behavior in this class did not disappoint. By the end of class a boy had touched girl, how or where or why I did not see or care until it became so loud that I could hear her anger and retorts through my airpods. Yes folks, I wear them as I cannot listen to the endless vulgar discussions that transpire. The kids cannot manage handling a broom to clean up the food they spilled, they have no sense of behavior or manners and respect to bother caring. I had more signs in that room than a hospital has, from DO NOT SIT HERE, DO NOT CLOSE WINDOWS, THE ANSWER IS “NO”, Ms… M.. is not here do not ask me where she is when she is coming back. DO THIS AND DON’T DO THAT. Dozens of repetitive signs throughout the room and yet they still asked. Reading is a problem on some level and following directions another. With 5 minutes left I called Security over this one as it was not an issue I could ignore, the girl ran from the room and the kids followed as class was over. Another student had just arrived, demanded I change attendance to tardy and this began the day. If you think there are mental health issues here, yes. But it is much more complex from lack of nutrition, sleep, parental/family engagement, poverty, poor housing and yes all the other factors that contribute to children’s decline which can be Racism, Abuse, Neglect and yes Physical and Mental health problems undiagnosed.

We have had such long term problems in the schools that to blame the pandemic is absurd, it simply pulled back the curtain on a stage that was full of problems. I have finally given up caring. I had to for my mental health, as when I actually contemplated ending my life as a result of endless observations over 30 years of the failures of our communities to deal with these tragedies it takes a toll. So the real issue is what are YOU going to do about it? Oh yeah, get on social media and rage and rant with the rest of the squad. Cancel them, call them out, fail to actually deal with or communicate to another is too fucking hard so shout, scream and rage and remember – the kids are watching, listening and learning.