What is schools' duty in children's mental health?

[Guest guest]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/15335644.htm

The Kansas City Star

August 23, 2006

What is schools' duty in children's mental health?

AS I SEE IT

Chartrand

A curious nation has witnessed the ongoing shouting match in Kansas over

teaching evolution in schools.

Soon, all eyes may turn from the state school board in Topeka to a courtroom in

Olathe, where hearings are scheduled on a Lenexa mother's lawsuit against the

ee Mission School District in connection with the suicide deaths of her two

sons.

District Judge Vano should let the case proceed so that Kansas can host an

overdue national discussion about a school's duty in regard to the mental health

of children and their families.

In the suit, Barbara Mares of Lenexa claims that improper training of teachers

and counselors at ee Mission West High School led to the suicide of

16-year-old Mares in February of 2003, followed seven months later by the

suicide of his grieving brother, , 18. What happened to the Mares teens is

a heart-rending saga of claims and counterclaims.

The larger issue, however, is not the allegations by the mother but the reply of

the school system. In seeking dismissal of the suit, the ee Mission

district asserts a defense of no responsibility. A suicide, the district argues,

is an " unforeseeable " event that a school system has no duty to prevent,

especially if it occurs off campus.

While mental health experts would disagree about the unforeseen nature of

suicide, preventability opens a Pandora's box full of hornet nests.

If a tragedy is preventable, then doesn't someone have a duty to prevent it? And

if there is a duty, what are the rules? More importantly, how does a school

system hold itself out as a champion of children and a partner with parents

while disavowing responsibility for the emotional well-being of students? On the

other hand, do we want schools, governments or anyone else meddling with the

mental health of our kids?

If Kansas parents are conflicted about schools teaching their children evolution

and sex, how would they react if the ee Mission district announced tomorrow

that it planned to institute mental health screenings for all students

(something recommended by President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental

Health)?

These questions are too important for schools to ignore or courts to dismiss.

Since the early 1970s, federal civil-rights laws have required schools and

universities to address both the physical and emotional disabilities of

children.

How far this duty extends is frequently wondered in quiet by grieving families.

Kansas might as well discuss it on a well-lit stage. The nation is already

watching us.

Chartrand is a writer from Olathe. He's working on a book examining

suicide in County. E-mail him at dvc@...

Letters to the Editor: letters@...

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10,095 signatures: http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

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[Guest guest]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/15335644.htm

The Kansas City Star

August 23, 2006

What is schools' duty in children's mental health?

AS I SEE IT

Chartrand

A curious nation has witnessed the ongoing shouting match in Kansas over

teaching evolution in schools.

Soon, all eyes may turn from the state school board in Topeka to a courtroom in

Olathe, where hearings are scheduled on a Lenexa mother's lawsuit against the

ee Mission School District in connection with the suicide deaths of her two

sons.

District Judge Vano should let the case proceed so that Kansas can host an

overdue national discussion about a school's duty in regard to the mental health

of children and their families.

In the suit, Barbara Mares of Lenexa claims that improper training of teachers

and counselors at ee Mission West High School led to the suicide of

16-year-old Mares in February of 2003, followed seven months later by the

suicide of his grieving brother, , 18. What happened to the Mares teens is

a heart-rending saga of claims and counterclaims.

The larger issue, however, is not the allegations by the mother but the reply of

the school system. In seeking dismissal of the suit, the ee Mission

district asserts a defense of no responsibility. A suicide, the district argues,

is an " unforeseeable " event that a school system has no duty to prevent,

especially if it occurs off campus.

While mental health experts would disagree about the unforeseen nature of

suicide, preventability opens a Pandora's box full of hornet nests.

If a tragedy is preventable, then doesn't someone have a duty to prevent it? And

if there is a duty, what are the rules? More importantly, how does a school

system hold itself out as a champion of children and a partner with parents

while disavowing responsibility for the emotional well-being of students? On the

other hand, do we want schools, governments or anyone else meddling with the

mental health of our kids?

If Kansas parents are conflicted about schools teaching their children evolution

and sex, how would they react if the ee Mission district announced tomorrow

that it planned to institute mental health screenings for all students

(something recommended by President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental

Health)?

These questions are too important for schools to ignore or courts to dismiss.

Since the early 1970s, federal civil-rights laws have required schools and

universities to address both the physical and emotional disabilities of

children.

How far this duty extends is frequently wondered in quiet by grieving families.

Kansas might as well discuss it on a well-lit stage. The nation is already

watching us.

Chartrand is a writer from Olathe. He's working on a book examining

suicide in County. E-mail him at dvc@...

Letters to the Editor: letters@...

+++

10,095 signatures: http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

++

If you would rather not receive the latest news via this e-mail line, please

send a message to

records@... with " UNSUBSCRIBE ME " in the subject line.

(posted as a requirement under legal and contractual requirements.)

[Guest guest]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/15335644.htm

The Kansas City Star

August 23, 2006

What is schools' duty in children's mental health?

AS I SEE IT

Chartrand

A curious nation has witnessed the ongoing shouting match in Kansas over

teaching evolution in schools.

Soon, all eyes may turn from the state school board in Topeka to a courtroom in

Olathe, where hearings are scheduled on a Lenexa mother's lawsuit against the

ee Mission School District in connection with the suicide deaths of her two

sons.

District Judge Vano should let the case proceed so that Kansas can host an

overdue national discussion about a school's duty in regard to the mental health

of children and their families.

In the suit, Barbara Mares of Lenexa claims that improper training of teachers

and counselors at ee Mission West High School led to the suicide of

16-year-old Mares in February of 2003, followed seven months later by the

suicide of his grieving brother, , 18. What happened to the Mares teens is

a heart-rending saga of claims and counterclaims.

The larger issue, however, is not the allegations by the mother but the reply of

the school system. In seeking dismissal of the suit, the ee Mission

district asserts a defense of no responsibility. A suicide, the district argues,

is an " unforeseeable " event that a school system has no duty to prevent,

especially if it occurs off campus.

While mental health experts would disagree about the unforeseen nature of

suicide, preventability opens a Pandora's box full of hornet nests.

If a tragedy is preventable, then doesn't someone have a duty to prevent it? And

if there is a duty, what are the rules? More importantly, how does a school

system hold itself out as a champion of children and a partner with parents

while disavowing responsibility for the emotional well-being of students? On the

other hand, do we want schools, governments or anyone else meddling with the

mental health of our kids?

If Kansas parents are conflicted about schools teaching their children evolution

and sex, how would they react if the ee Mission district announced tomorrow

that it planned to institute mental health screenings for all students

(something recommended by President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental

Health)?

These questions are too important for schools to ignore or courts to dismiss.

Since the early 1970s, federal civil-rights laws have required schools and

universities to address both the physical and emotional disabilities of

children.

How far this duty extends is frequently wondered in quiet by grieving families.

Kansas might as well discuss it on a well-lit stage. The nation is already

watching us.

Chartrand is a writer from Olathe. He's working on a book examining

suicide in County. E-mail him at dvc@...

Letters to the Editor: letters@...

+++

10,095 signatures: http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

++

If you would rather not receive the latest news via this e-mail line, please

send a message to

records@... with " UNSUBSCRIBE ME " in the subject line.

(posted as a requirement under legal and contractual requirements.)

[Guest guest]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/15335644.htm

The Kansas City Star

August 23, 2006

What is schools' duty in children's mental health?

AS I SEE IT

Chartrand

A curious nation has witnessed the ongoing shouting match in Kansas over

teaching evolution in schools.

Soon, all eyes may turn from the state school board in Topeka to a courtroom in

Olathe, where hearings are scheduled on a Lenexa mother's lawsuit against the

ee Mission School District in connection with the suicide deaths of her two

sons.

District Judge Vano should let the case proceed so that Kansas can host an

overdue national discussion about a school's duty in regard to the mental health

of children and their families.

In the suit, Barbara Mares of Lenexa claims that improper training of teachers

and counselors at ee Mission West High School led to the suicide of

16-year-old Mares in February of 2003, followed seven months later by the

suicide of his grieving brother, , 18. What happened to the Mares teens is

a heart-rending saga of claims and counterclaims.

The larger issue, however, is not the allegations by the mother but the reply of

the school system. In seeking dismissal of the suit, the ee Mission

district asserts a defense of no responsibility. A suicide, the district argues,

is an " unforeseeable " event that a school system has no duty to prevent,

especially if it occurs off campus.

While mental health experts would disagree about the unforeseen nature of

suicide, preventability opens a Pandora's box full of hornet nests.

If a tragedy is preventable, then doesn't someone have a duty to prevent it? And

if there is a duty, what are the rules? More importantly, how does a school

system hold itself out as a champion of children and a partner with parents

while disavowing responsibility for the emotional well-being of students? On the

other hand, do we want schools, governments or anyone else meddling with the

mental health of our kids?

If Kansas parents are conflicted about schools teaching their children evolution

and sex, how would they react if the ee Mission district announced tomorrow

that it planned to institute mental health screenings for all students

(something recommended by President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental

Health)?

These questions are too important for schools to ignore or courts to dismiss.

Since the early 1970s, federal civil-rights laws have required schools and

universities to address both the physical and emotional disabilities of

children.

How far this duty extends is frequently wondered in quiet by grieving families.

Kansas might as well discuss it on a well-lit stage. The nation is already

watching us.

Chartrand is a writer from Olathe. He's working on a book examining

suicide in County. E-mail him at dvc@...

Letters to the Editor: letters@...

+++

10,095 signatures: http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html

++

If you would rather not receive the latest news via this e-mail line, please

send a message to

records@... with " UNSUBSCRIBE ME " in the subject line.

(posted as a requirement under legal and contractual requirements.)