There is absolutely no doubt the emotional impact of schools being closed, and the social disconnect created upon children, is severely damaging to their spiritual and mental health [STATS HERE]. Last week with the help of John Spiropoulos we posted a ground report on the Women of Watts rally.
John has produced three more spots (video’s below), each profiling different parents or grandparents at the rally. In addition John provided the footage to the Women of Watts to help them spread the word and raise money. John’s goal was to increase awareness, make these stories more than a 15 second soundbite, and to allow people to tell their story.
To understand just how devastating the outcomes are upon our nation’s children, consider this emotional plea from Leo Terrell. His tears are actually tears of strength, not weakness, because Terrell knows what horrific outcomes will manifest if we do not immediately make returning to school a priority for our kids.
In my personal opinion this emotional and education crisis is purposeful to the efforts of the far-left. If they can destroy the emotional and intellectual functioning of a generation through the exploitation of COVID, their efforts to fundamentally change the U.S. will be enhanced by creating weaker citizens who are more dependent on outside solutions to their struggles.
COVID today is a problem, but the COVID consequences in the subsequent years will surface as the fabric of a tenuous society becomes even more fractured around class/income lines. The creation of a dependency (slave) class, is a fundamental objective of the Fabian Socialist worldview. Elites who make decisions for those who cannot be self sufficient is always the goal of the communist utopia.
Think ‘big picture’ and you can see how this pebble in our societal shoe today will become an extremely destructive boulder on the backs of the American way of life in the years ahead. Do not view this current situation as a small problem; they are doing this by specific design. STAND and fight. /SD
The CDC reports a Dramatic Increase in Mental Health Issues among children. November 13, 2020) The proportion of child mental health visits to Emergency Rooms dramatically increased from March through October 2020 over the same period in 2019.
- The share of mental health-related hospital emergency department visits rose 24% for children 5-11 compared to the same time period the previous year
- The share of mental health-related hospital emergency department visits increased 31% for adolescents age 12 to 17 compared to the same time period the previous year.
- While there were in increases for both males and females, female cases were far higher than male cases.
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At a Women of Watts rally in mid-March Cassandra Jones, a nurse and mother of two, says her daughters are falling behind because of virtual education. She wants the LA Public Schools open now for live, in-class instruction.
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Parent groups in Los Angeles have been staging protests, demanding that the city’s public schools be re-opened for live in-class instruction. This report spotlights a rally in Watts featuring Berdadelle Watson whose son is a senior in high school.
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John Spiropoulos provides supportive information: This article reports on a survey of emotional distress among young people. “More Young People Are Depressed During the Pandemic. But They May Be Using Social Media to Cope.” Here’s where to read the full study.
There’s more evidence of emotional distress in this nationwide survey of students. Here are some of the findings:
- 64 percent of students overall reported experiencing distractions at home that interfered with schoolwork, and half said feelings of stress, depression and anxiety made online learning difficult.
- Female students and those who identify another way were more likely to report depression, stress and anxiety as obstacles to learning than male students.
- Feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious has risen to the number one obstacle to learning. Hispanic or Latinx, multiracial, and Black or African American students faced more obstacles on average than did white or Asian students.
You can find the full survey results here.
The Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports an increase in suicidal behavior during the COVID-19 closures than in 2019. Here is a link to the study cited in the AAP report. While the pandemic increased depression and thoughts of suicide, teen suicides have been on the upswing several years according to this report titled Youth Suicide: The Other Public Health Crisis.
Each suicide is a tragedy. There is a story behind each one and, hopefully, a lesson to be learned.
- The Washington Post reports “one in 4 young adults have struggled with suicidal thoughts since the coronavirus hit, CDC says. “I could see the storm coming,” says a father from Richland,Washington.
- When we adults look at young people, we think they have everything to live for. That certainly would be the case for Dylan Buckner, an 18 year old star high school quarterback in suburban Chicago. But he suffered from depression before the pandemic hit. Then things got worse. Here’s the a report from NBC News Chicago.
- One school superintendent in California upon hearing of a suicide of a student in his district said “One of my biggest worries I had with the shelter-in-place order, was the social-emotional effect it’s going to have on so many people. In particular, my job is to really worry about students and their parents.” Unfortunately, the worst happened.
How many of you oldtimer CT readers remember the history of Watts … Simon Rodia’s towers … the riots in 1967. A remarkable neighborhood and, judging by the Women of Watts, still strong today.
At this point, parents should pull their kids. There is only 10 weeks left in the school year. Send in a letter of intent to homeschool for those 10 weeks–give the schools what they want–no kids to deal with. The loss of state and federal aid should bring them to their knees.
Exactly! There is good curriculum out there if you look, i.e. classical education. Every single public school and a very large percentage of private schools are all using COMMON CRAP curriculum anyway. Common core is GARBAGE! ALL OF IT! It is designed to confuse and frustrate the learning process. Look for a classical ed school in your area if you can. If you don’t have one, order the curriculum online and homeschool your kids. Sending them to these schools is mental abuse!
I would suggest the “Alpha Omega” homeschool curriculum, Christian based and filled with the classics.
Saxon Math is the best!
yes yes and YES!!! get them out of the hell hole that is public school
it is ABSOLUTELY designed to make children think that learning is too hard
True and make it permanent
The teacher’s unions ruined all the public schools
There are many alternatives
I can only imagine the vile hatred that will be taken out on children of complaining parents. And the T.D.S. driven propaganda and correcting of all the misinformation learned this past year.
We have a big problem from which it is very difficult to pull away. The problem is this economic and cultural problem where we necessarily must allow the government or government regulated entities to raise our children.
VERY very new people are actually able to raise their own children including educating them. And even when they do, ‘the state’ regulates them under threat of taking their children away.
You don’t just “pull your kids” though that’s precisely what Trump was aiming at with his plans for “school choice” and having the money follow the kids. Nothing would reform schools and the associated unions quite like having parents moving their children into private schools and cutting off their otherwise “guaranteed income.”
But like so many other things Trump did to bring hope to the masses, this too is essentially cancelled.
We have a problem. We have a lot of them but the one I’m thinking of right now is the fact that government employment is comprised of people attracted to their positions because they want to exercise tyranny.
CaliforniaSchoolChoice.org is the solution.
I thank God everyday that my 4 kids are in their mid to late 20’s.
It wasn’t God who made you stop having children was it?
Nope…He didn’t make me start having them either?
Taxpayer funded slaughter of the innocent unborn and further profiting from selling their body parts. Forced emotional depression and suicide of school age children. Ever increasing pedophilia and exploitation/sex trafficking. Those that reach an age considered to be an adult are anything but.
The term “the future is yours” makes anyone want to die.
I went to government schools for 12 years. Never missed a day. Learned the basic minimum as we were taught as a group. After the military I learned a great trade. Made millions. Never set foot or wasted a minute in academia and NEVER regretted it. School choice is the future and Government should fund vocational schools as they do these lame colleges.
Why is this conversation about minorities? I have a 16 year old white boy with his white mother living across from me and they are experiencing the same thing…to me this seems like an issue to unite around not divide…has nothing to do with race. My neighbor’s kid has suffered the same impact and so has his mother….
I think Women of Watts is just an example, I do not see the issue on racial lines. But I do think the poor always suffer or are manipulated more.
Oh good grief! You are extolling the virtues of re-opening government re-education/indoctrination schools, full of far left/socialist/ideological curriculum? Seriously! How about parents educate their kids? How about the parents look into curriculum and start educating their kids at home? Why would you promote government schools to combat future government dependence?
My exact thought every time this issue comes up. The indoctrination in public schools has almost crippled this country, and this is the time to think outside the box. If parents have to work, they can partner with those able to stay home, and make home schooling successful for the neighborhood children. Start a GoFundMe page. Defund public education, which now is full of “wokeness” and dangerous negativity toward our country.
There are are co-ops being formed too
Also trustworthy churches should be opening schools
Grandparents are homeschooling
There are many alternatives
A great portion of society does not understand homeschooling and the homeschool co-ops that allow for small groups to study and socialize. Where I live you can home school and still have your kids try out for the local high school’s teams…many do not know that.
I agree but I guess most parents are not interested. I thought at first this was a great opportunity for parents to see first hand what their kids are being taught and/or teaching the kids themselves. But, no, they have not done either. I know, they are busy working..well there is always when they are not working to spend time educating their kids. They could at least teach them how to sign their name so it doesn’t look like a 5 year old’s signature. Also, memorize the multiplication/division/addition/subtraction tables and have contests on doing math in their heads. Ditto spelling…have spelling bees at home. There is so much a parent can do to enhance the education. Today’s kids are incapable of doing much of anything.
Anyone who lets their kids attend public schools is throwing them to the wolves.
The teacher’s unions have corrupted the entire system, everywhere
Progressives have completely corrupted education from top to bottom. Common Core curriculum is garbage, and was also designed by progressives and with the objective to dumb kids down, frustrate and confuse the learning process. They corrupt every institution they touch. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. I’m not defending teachers unions just trying to place the blame where it should squarely rest. PROGRESSIVES!
I’d say we are ALREADY dependent on the government if we can’t educate our kids without the government!
What a contrast between these people who want to do right by their kids to help them succeed, and those who take so little interest in their kids they are carjacking and murdering at 13 or 15.
…and which ones get more attention from the left.
Every teacher, every educator needs to be brought up on crimes against humanity. We need to establish a court like in Nuremberg and haul and convict these Bolshevik scum in front of judges.
Then let them be sent to a penal colony in Iwo Jima to live out their sordid days far from American civilization. These are reprehensible criminals who should not be let anywhere near children.
Bravo!!!!
I’m very glad Leo 2.0 changed political sides recently. He’s a great spokesman for MAGA.
Leo was caught between his sincere desire to help the kids return to school and sending some to be taught by politically twisted and selfish teachers or by other teachers that might be more stable and caring and just want to educate the kids for their own good–rather than brainwash them with nonsense.
The education system strongly affects kid’s minds and it should never have been placed in a vulnerable position where it can be destroyed or suspended for a year by a large powerful politically tainted and selfish union. But the Union has formed a mutual alliance with the corrupt Dems like most other organizations.
I unexpectedly choked up recently like Leo did and could not talk. If my mind remembers the tactic to think of something that evokes anger in me more than sadness, it usually resets my emotions and I can talk.
Public schools were closed.
And only is some States.
Not for children’s health concerns but for teachers.
3 facts which will never change.
The agenda of destruction. You see it in every push. They declare things to be necessary to be destroyed but they NEVER talk about what they want to build. Not ever. When you hear people advocating for things to be taken down or removed, the advocacy for the replacement with anything better never enters the conversation.
I have brought this up many times. Some people take innovation for granted and assume something better will naturally appear once “X” is destroyed.
If ever you find yourself in a conversation where the agenda is about the destruction of “X” whether that’s fossil fuels or guns or white people, the first thing I hope you do is “agree with them” and immediately ask what they see as the way to ensure that whatever thing comes from the things they want to destroy is done better without them. They might think they won the conversation by concession. But if they accidentally THINK or other people who hear or see this accidentally consider any of it objectively, they will see the problem.
While it is important to push back under certain circumstances. It is also important to use the agenda of the left to use its own destructive energies to show it for what it is.
The Left NEEDS PEOPLE WHO ARE DUMBED DOWN. This is how they control people- especially the black population here- by NOT teaching them to read or write- or even count to 100 They cannot even read a STOP sign- HOW CAN THEY EVER GET A JOB? – cannot- HOW CAN THEY THINK? – cannot HOW CAN THEY ARGUE BACK AT THE INSANITY OF GOVERNMENT? cannot- HOW CAN THEY UNDERSTAND SCIENCE, ECONOMICS, HISTORY, AND CULTURE? cannot- Parents- wake up !!! do not get WOKE- AWAKE.
I worked in South Central LA (Watts) to pay for college in the mid to late 70s, although I was from the San Gabriel Valley. I saw almost everyone on welfare and food stamps. I did not see much attempts for getting a better life. There was areas that the police would not go and the gangs were always attacking each other. Drive-bys were common and many buildings were still burned out from the 60s riots. I have left my home state in 1996 but I never saw much change except more Central American gangs moved into the Black Areas like Watts.