July 11, 2018, Duluth (MN) News Tribune: Our View: Duluth schools 'pretty high security' http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/editorials/4471339-our-view-duluth-schools-pretty-high-security … The Duluth school district also has partnerships with mental health providers who work in Duluth's schools with a goal of addressing issues with students and families before they escalate into something horrific and regrettable…. Aggressive, creative approaches are what are needed statewide, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, a gubernatorial candidate, said when asked about school shootings and gun violence during a meeting with editorial board members this week. "We've got to work on the school counselors. …” "We can't be last in terms of (the number of) mental health people in our schools and (the number of) guidance counselors," said U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, a former teacher. "Obviously, everybody recognizes that there's a huge mental health issue. And I think we're getting better at that, but we're nowhere near where we need to be, particularly in our schools," said Jeff Johnson, who served six years on the K-12 Finance Committee as a member of the Minnesota House. "We've frankly had a policy in some of our school districts to intentionally ignore kids who are disruptive and violent because it might have a disproportionate impact on one race or group. That's just insane to me. (With) a couple of these kids, there were warning signs — warning sign after warning sign — and we as government chose to ignore it."…
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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