Everything comes down to the quality of our public education system and the manner to which a society treats its children. We reap what we sow. Too often in public schools for some children we are sowing the seeds of despair not hope. The racial achievement gap is a case in point.
As we ponder the life’s work of Dr. Martin Luther King and his commitment to the raising up of all God’s children we must come together with a strong bipartisan consensus on developing a plan so as not to leave any child behind anymore. Every dollar spent in the implementation of this plan, and we do know what works and what to do, will reap $4 in savings to the economy.
As America reflects on the shots fired across the bow of our democracy in Tucson by the alleged killer Jared L. Loughner we must pause and reflect once more. Pres. Obama’s speech last week at the University of Arizona memorial for the victims and a grieving nation was transformative. Obama said, “At a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized, at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who happen to think differently than we do, it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that, that heals, not in a way that wounds.”
I agree. We must teach this truth to our children so that schools can be free of hateful and prejudicial speech. We must end bullying and promote lifting one another up by genuine praise. As a former principal I wonder if Loughner was teased and bullied. The research tells us that most school shooters have been bullied, made fun of and ridiculed. In 2004 the police were called to his high school because Loughner was stuck with a needle by a classmate. He was also teased for looking like Harry Potter.
It’s never just one thing that leads to an act of violence. Rather it is a lethal combination of many things. In this case prima facia it appears a bad relationship with his father, several significant turndowns, especially by the military and Pima Community College, drug use, talents languishing and a spiraling downward all were contributory. To this educator I conclude Jerod was screaming for help and telegraphing his desire to change, but too few were listening and/or had the resources to help. This is what we need to change, especially when it comes to schools.
Loughner was an aspiring musician. In high school, according to a NY Times profile, he was a talented jazz band saxophonist and a curious teenager. The Times story portrayed a father and a son that did not get along. Jared belonged to the Arizona Jazz Academy and according to the director was dedicated but withdrawn. He played for two different ensembles and rehearsed four hours every weekend. Doug Tidaback, Jazz Academy Director, said he never saw Jerod’s father at any rehearsal or performance.
At some point an elementary, middle or high school teacher might have intervened to get professional help for the issues at home or with his personal troubles. Schools need to give teachers and administrators more tools and resources in which to come up with plans for those students exhibiting behavior that is out of the bounds of societal norms. It appears there were several signs especially when he dropped out of high school and got asked to leave Pima Community College.
As a principal it was evident that most of my middle school teachers were very aware of the students who need more assistance and personal support with psychological problems. Drugs exacerbate the issues of mental health rather than help. Yet too many students (and of course adults) are using illicit drugs to cope with life’s difficulties.
Many expert psychiatrists have deduced from the facts as we know them today that Jared Loughner was a paranoid schizophrenic. Several of Jerod’s friends said he was a regular user of marijuana. There is strong evidence that the constant use of marijuana can lead to delusions that mimic paranoid schizophrenia. There are 30 published papers linking marijuana to schizophrenia.
In the wake of Tucson and the federal efforts to reauthorize No Child Left Behind let us agree that we need a national conversation on mental health, drug use, bullying, and the role schools and teachers can play in supporting our youth to be the healthiest they can be. I know when I start teaching Educational Psychology at SJSU to those graduate students becoming teachers next week and throughout the Spring semester I will make certain I cover these issues.
It is one more reason we should have the utmost respect for our teachers. For most of those who do the job with extraordinary care they have helped to transform the Jared’s of the world into productive citizens. In my view these teachers who innately understand human development and needs are worth their weight in gold. As a nation we need to treat our teachers and students well for they are creating our future.
> There is strong evidence that the constant use of marijuana can lead to delusions that mimic paranoid schizophrenia. There are 30 published papers linking marijuana to schizophrenia.
Hello? What?
WHAT??!!!!
Marijuana causes schizophrenia???
WHO KNEW?
I thought marijuana was just a benign natural herb with valuable medicinal properties unfairly and viciously maligned by ignorant right win-GGrrs.
Joe:
As a respected educator and educational leader, you need to get on the phone to the City Councel and to the editors of the Mercury News and bring this to their attention immediately.
IMMEDIATELY!!!!
Children’s lives are being destroyed, the Council and the Mercury News are enablers, and you’re allowing it to happen.
You have your pulpit, Joe. Time to STAND AND DELIVER..
“Santa Clara County Office of Education Board President Calls Marijuana Dangerous, Destructive for Children”
Board President Urges Stringent Oversight and Severe Curbs on Medical Marijuana clinics: “We need healthy children much more than we need the tax money from marijuana sales.”
Joe
Where are your references to ” 30 published papers linking marijuana to schizophrenia. ”
Why has this link not been brought up during recent San Jose medical marijuana discussions where it was claimed over and over that there is “no medical evidence of bad medical effects of marijuana usage” ?
If these are valid medical studies, then why is San Jose and other cities promoting 100’s marijuana dispensaries if it leads to more schizophrenia by those with existing psychological problems or causing more psychological problems and the claimed tragic results of marijuana use
Is this the next soon to be discredited media theory like Palin’s political crosshairs ads, uncontrolled gun sales, angry political talk, underfunded mental health treatment, courts releasing mentally ill, underfunding schools, violence TV, movies and video games, child abuse, bad economy to blame for society’s problems
Is marijuana the next legal drug like tobacco and alcohol causing more misery, harm, death and costing society billions
Government can collect taxes, create enforcement, prison and health care jobs while alcohol and drug producers, distributors and dealers contribute millions to politicians
Light’em up,
Most of the studies are from New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden. Each one portrays the seriousness of the subject. Yes, I think the link between cannabis and schizophrenia needs an airing in the public. That is exactly the reason I am bringing it up. Please google cannabis and linkages to schizophrenia for a listing of the academic studies completed thus far. This is precisely the reason I voted against Proposition 19 and why our votes must be informed with accurate information.
Joseph Di Salvo,
Thank you. We will take this as an opportunity to de-bunk this ridicules myth. (see my post below)
Best Regards,
Dave Hodges
Unbelievable! Yet another public blog heralding “published papers” linking the use of marijuana with mental illnes; in this case schizophrenia. Please.
How about considering all sides of an issue, Professor? How about the perspective of NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano who was a guest speaker at San Jose State in Spring 2010 presenting “Cannabis Science 101: Palliative and Curative Relief Through a Safe and Effective Herbal Medicine.” Paul says previous reviews ought to be interpreted with caution. “Despite claims that marijuana use may play a causal role in diagnosed incidences of schizophrenia, there exists no empirical evidence anywhere on Earth indicating that populations which have experienced rising rates of cannabis use have also experienced a parallel increase in rates of mental illness,” Armentano said. (Source: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=8120)
Further, Armentano said that a non-causal association likely exists between marijuana use and psychosis because the symptoms of mental illness often strike early in life — at a time when young people are likely to be already experimenting with cannabis. He also speculated that some people diagnosed with psychotic disorders might be turning to cannabis after the onset of symptoms as a form of self-medication.
I urge folks, especially those influencing students minds, to find out more facts about cannabis before falling into the “reefer madness” hole that our society continues to find itself in. And no, for the record I do not use cannabis, medical or otherwise. I am however, a masters student at SJSJ and believe in the importance of keeping current about news and events before spreading specious arguments and fears.
Tina
Joe,
> “There is strong evidence that the constant use of marijuana can lead to delusions that mimic paranoid schizophrenia. There are 30 published papers linking marijuana to schizophrenia.”
Please list all “30” of the published papers you claim. I only know of 3, all of which, using the same methodoligies could be used to prove water causes schizophrenia…
Related to the issue of drug abuse in schools, proper education is the problem. When educators make claims like “marijuana causes schizophrenia”, or that “Marijuana diminishes ones capacity to absorb and retain information, contributes to depression, suicide, psychosis, addiction and leads many young people to a life of chaos, crime and corruption.” they loose credibility in the eyes of anyone who has used cannabis. This leads to mistrust of authorities, and can start the EXTREMELY dangerous logic of “if they lied to me about pot, the things they say for Heroin, Crack, Tweak, etc… might be lies too”
Renowned Dr. Lester Grinspoon, whose area of psychiatric study is schizophrenia, has refuted definitively and in detail the suggestions of a causal link between cannabis use and schizophrenia.
A ten-year UK study considered diagnosed cases of schizophrenia in 183 practices comprising almost 600,000 patients each year—or approximately 2.3% of the UK population between the ages of 16 and 44.
A previous review had concluded that cannabis use trends meant that the incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia would increase from 1990 onwards, but statistical analysis found the opposite to be true.
By way of explanation, researchers pointed to a separate clinical trial published this summer that showed cannabis use does not stimulate the production of dopamine in a manner consistent with the development of schizophrenia.
That study looked at whether THC produces significant dopamine release in specific parts of the brain linked to onset of schizophrenia in adolescents. Sophisticated imaging on 13 volunteer subjects established that “there was no significant effect.” Researchers concluded that “cannabis users do not release significant amounts of dopamine,” a finding that “challenges current models of … cannabis as risk factor for schizophrenia.”
The third study goes further, describing how daily use of THC significantly improves symptoms of schizophrenia. Over an eight week period, researchers in New York gave oral THC (dronabinol) to six patients diagnosed with chronic, refractory schizophrenia who had reported that cannabis use had reduced their symptoms.
“Four of the six patients improved to a clinically significant extent,” researchers reported, and three of the patients showed “modest to marked reductions in core psychotic symptoms.” Most remarkably, the researchers reported that the three “chang[ed] from being gravely ill to being functioning individuals able to be discharged.” After noting that THC produced “no clinically adverse effects,” the authors conclude that there may be a “new role for cannabinoids in the treatment of schizophrenia.”
More generally, Brazilian researchers report that their review of studies on the role of cannabinoids in mental health found that cannabidiol (CBD) has “antipsychotic, anxiolytic [anti-anxiety], and antidepressant properties, in addition to being effective in other conditions.” THC and its analogues were also shown to have anti-anxiety effects and to have potential in treating schizophrenia.
A separate review in the same journal examines the endocannabinoid system and its pharmacology, concluding that cannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors “modulate a variety of brain functions, including anxiety, fear and mood.” Preclinical studies show that activating CB1 receptors has antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects. The researchers conclude that drugs that target the endocannabinoid system offer treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.
Best Regards,
Dave Hodges
Founder
SJCBC LLC
http://sjcbc.org
Mr Hodges,
I asked you a few weeks back that if marijuana is a prescribed medicine do you have any objections to it being dispensed by a pharmacy (ie Kaiser, CVS)?
You never responded. I see absolutely no reason for stand alone marijuan outlets, and I see even less reason that the city, or you, or the owners of these outlets should make a profit off of very sick people.
Steve,
I am for full legalization, and the proper rescheduling of cannabis. When this happens, I have no doubt, further research will develop derivatives of cannabis in pill form, that could be distributed at a pharmacy. Drugs that would go far beyond the limitations of Marinol (synthetic THC), and be able to provide relief for the many conditions people find treatable with cannabis, but that they find Marinol ineffective for. This would likely also spin out two businesses similar to our current cannabis clubs. One would be an alternative medical clinic, that specializes in cannabis, similar to my collective today. The other would likely be something similar to the coffee shops found in Amsterdam, for recreational users. In addition legalization of marijuana would revive the long lost industry of which our country was founded on, known as industrial hemp.
The reality is, starting a not-for-profit, to fight the government is not really a “profitable” business. The fact is, in a little over a year and a half, I have driven myself into more debt then I could have ever imagined. I’m not sure where all the “profit” you think exists is, but I haven’t seen it. Like it or not every cannabis business in California is a not-for-profit business.
We have a much bigger problem with the dangers of prescription pills and the big “for-profit” pharmaceuticals who benefit off selling synthetic heroin, and the “for-profit” pain management industry that hands out Percocet, Vicodin, Tramadol, Xanax, Valium, Oxycontin, Ritalin, and Soma like candy to anyone.
> When educators make claims like “marijuana causes schizophrenia”, or that “Marijuana diminishes ones capacity to absorb and retain information, contributes to depression, suicide, psychosis, addiction and leads many young people to a life of chaos, crime and corruption.” they loose credibility in the eyes of anyone who has used cannabis. This leads to mistrust of authorities, and can start the EXTREMELY dangerous logic of “if they lied to me about pot, the things they say for Heroin, Crack, Tweak, etc… might be lies too”
Or, maybe the “mistrust of authorities” is simply a consequence of the fact that marijuana causes paranoia.
If this is your great flash-bang debunking of marijuana critics, I would say that your fuse appears to be damp.
TM> “the “mistrust of authorities” is simply a consequence of the fact that marijuana causes paranoia.”
Or, maybe you need a reality check… I know this is a hard concept… but when you lie to someone and then they find out the truth, they no longer trust you. Regardless if anyone is smoking pot…
> but when you lie to someone and then they find out the truth, they no longer trust you.
You mean lying, like telling people that marijuana is safe and then they find out that it isn’t?
That kind of lying?
No… it’s the kind of lying you are doing right now…
Show me proof that marijuana is a horrible, dangerous, drug like you think it is, and I’ll change my mind.
Look at the science, and talk to people who use it. It might blow your mind…
Then watch this, the OxyContin Express:
http://current.com/shows/vanguard/91183979_the-oxycontin-express.htm
Why doesn’t San Jose have the same problems found in Broward County related to OxyContin with Marijuana? With 100+ collectives, we should already have seen a huge rise in problems such as claimed: schizophrenic, depression, suicide, psychosis, addiction, chaos, crime and corruption.
Where are the facts to backup your statement? Please show us.
More from Joe:“Too often in public schools for some children we are sowing the seeds of despair not hope. The racial achievement gap is a case in point.”
The racial achievement gap is primarily an economic achievement gap. People don’t fail to achieve due to race. They are more than likely to fail to achieve due to poverty. It mostly isn’t the school’s fault. Uninterested parents, more immediate concerns when you’re poor and have few, if any, positive role models, are far more likely to lead to an “achievement gap”. Long before the kids have entered school, “the seeds of despair ” have been sown and have borne fruit.
Re Jared Loughner: Mr. Loughner is simply a real life Travis Bickle who sank
into madness, mostly unnoticed, before he expended 30 rounds into the crowd.
There is no great cosmic or societal issue here—he was a lone whack-job who exacted a toll on many innocent people. “The System” is not set up to detect this type of person before he wreaks havoc. Nor should it be, due to the huge potential for abuse.
No child left behind is an unattainable goal without the complete co-operation and engagement of both the parents and the kids. Since that is not, and is unlikely ever to be, forthcoming, that “goal” needs to be discarded. We need to concentrate on those who want to learn and succeed, and are capabale of doing both. “The Convoy Method” of proceeding at the pace of the slowest ship needs to be eradicated from the public schools.
> “The Convoy Method” of proceeding at the pace of the slowest ship needs to be eradicated from the public schools.
Good metaphor. Good point.
Joseph DiSalvo,
Finally something on which we agree. Proposition 19. All due respect to Tina and her naive reliance on studies and/or lack of them, to construct her opinion on the subject but sometimes it’s best to ignore the ‘studies’ and form your opinions based on what you witness firsthand with your own eyes and ears. Major connection between marijuana and paranoia? From what I’ve seen over the past 40 years among people I’ve known- no question about it.
As for bullying: Maybe we’re going about this all wrong. Maybe we should actually be encouraging kids to bully each other early on, so that they develop the necessary ability to deal with bullying- to finally figure out that words are only words. Maybe it’s not the bullying, which has always existed, that’s the problem. Maybe by shielding kids from all forms of criticism in the controlled environment of the classroom, we’re leaving them defenseless when they walk out of it.
But generally, Joseph, I think you take on too much. As an educator, so much of your attention is on topics other than education. Schools are about teaching. Teaching. Teaching. Teaching.
Teach the kids. Let somebody else save the world.
I don’t think that drugs or education had to do with the Arizona shooting .
Then what was the cause of the Columbine shooting ? We have asked the same questions , we have had the experts on TV trying to make a psychological profile of the shooter . The Columbine shooters as the media painted them as a bunch of ‘loners’. In fact these shooters and Jared Loughner both have girlfriends , they were white and upscale , they both had access to guns ( because the system allowed them) . What is so different to compare Loughner with Columbine ?
is that the Columbine incident was not politicized . the right wing media has placed Loughner as a ‘left wing nut’ . The left has Loughner as being inspired by right wing media dogs . Even Sara Palin gets the rap. As far as facts are ,there is vary little that education can do to prevent these violent acts . This would mean the the government would have to psychologically screen every child at an early age and watch their development ? Again just were are the parents of Loughner?
“In fact these shooters and Jared Loughner both have girlfriends, they were white…”
Why try to put a racial spin on these two events? Are you seeking a contest to see how many crazy people from all different races commit similar crimes?
No one is seeking the thought of race in the issue , nor as much of it now has become political play . It seems that the Media dogs have already set the racial parameters on who commits what kinda crime . As sick as it is our society over glorifies the criminal . well )stereotypical categories.
White kid gets gun goes on a killing spree (s) is metal illness is cause. Black kid shoots , and it’s his broken home. lack of education . You have to blame the media for crating that perception.
The educational system suffers and is always slammed in a way . Like bemoaning ” what could they have done?”
Yes there were plenty of counselors? Were these people bullied at school , maybe? but the fact (s) is most criminals are not schizoids . In Jared Loughner case he might plea insanity , but since he was able to get a weapon he had the knowledge and know how to commit a crime . Even if he smoked 100 marijuana joints . He knew what he was doing .
Who knows what the real reason was for the motive . We all might just have to wait.
I am so glad that you brought up the issue of bullying and drug use, and ultimately paying attention to the emotional well-being and mental health of students. Yes, teachers are educators and should do their best to help every child succeed. However, they also have the opportunity and the duty to be aware of the other challenges students face and to be a source of knowledge, guidance, and support. Furthermore, schools need to educate students about bullying and its effects to create an anti-bullying environment. Many times children are silently suffering, but with the help of attentive teachers who actively play a role in helping guide students toward a positive path in life, students can receive needed help and transform their lives.
I believe that it is very critical for parents, teachers, or caregivers to intervene quickly when they see a child/teen displaying emotional/psychological behaviors. Sometimes parents ignore the signs or they just don’t see them. It is very important for parents to become involve in their child’s life and to have open communication with his/her teachers. With early intervention, crimes like Jared’s may be prevented.
I agree that teachers play a critical role in helping build a contructive society. Other than teaching students facts, teachers are aware of students’ mental well being. There should be resources availabe, at all levels of public education, for teachers to refer students in need. Jared Loughner was taken out of college due to his behavior, but he was not sent to a professional for help. Instead he was left on his own, thereby heightening his frustrations as he was not allowed to attend school. Increased funding for therapists, psychologists and other healthcare workers is essential to the education process; this will allow teachers to continue their jobs molding a stable community of citizens for the future.
Educators definitely must be aware of and be trained to recognize issues like bullying and mental disorders among their students. Often times teachers will ignore a student’s behavior that could be a red flag because they don’t recognize it as the sign of a bigger problem or they haven’t been equipped with the resources needed to help these students. Teachers have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for all students, and when that safe environment is being compromised, they should know what resources are available to help the student who is in need and not hesitate on doing so. They need to keep an open dialogue with students and address any issue that might occur in the classroom, no matter how small it might be. Ignoring the problem and allowing it to build over time is exactly what results in tragedies like the Arizona shooting.
I do agree with Mr. Di Salvo that “teachers and administrators need more tools and resources to help students that exhibit behaviors that may be out of bonds of societal norms.” Students spend a significant amount of time at school that teachers and administrators can be an asset in helping students get the help they need, especially if their parents are not aware of their behavior.School is no longer just a place for learning but also a place where students should be nurtured and cared for physically, emotionally and socially. These needs must be nurtured in order for any human being to become a productive member of society and teachers play a major role in meeting these needs, therefore it is imperative that teachers must have the resources to fulfill each of their students needs’.
> School is no longer just a place for learning but also a place where students should be nurtured and cared for physically, emotionally and socially.
Who decided this?
I never agreed to this. “Nurturing” children physically, emotionally and socially is the parent’s job, NOT the school’s job.
Parents are not just “breeding units” and schools are not one-stop, all-purpose, universal social services dispensaries.
Mr. Di Salvo is right on with the bulk of this article. Teachers and administrators absolutely need to be aware of the way that their students are interacting with others at school and the way that their parents (or parent) treats them at home. However, there are many Jared Loughners out there that had similiar experiences being bullied from their peers and neglected by their parents. But they do not take the radical turn that Loughner did. I would tend to think that Loughner possibly being a paranoid schizophrenic was the primary reason why he did what he did. We may never know. The point I’m making if that yes, this may have been stopped through teacher/administrator intervention and a possible recoginition of his ailment but we can’t be sure that the bullying was a large cause for the tragic incident. While they may have exasperated his feelings, the mental illness probably was the main factor.
I find it unfortunate that Jared Loughner was troubled enough and didn’t get help he needed to prevent the tragedy in Tuscon from happening. Of course it wasn’t just an overnight thing, but at some point in his life, someone could have stopped him and said, “do you have a minute to talk?” or “is everything alright?” Who knows, that could have been life changing for him. Since we’re not mind readers, you have to communicate to get any kind of answer.
Teachers definitely need to be aware of the signs that a student may be troubled and also bullied. Ignoring it or assuming it’s nothing isn’t the answer. Teachers hold a great deal of power in the molding of their students lives, and it’s tragic to see the lives of students like Jared’s, slip away. If you suspect any trouble, and you are in the position to get help or resources for that child, you need to get that child help as soon as possible. Ignoring the signs, or not even knowing what they are (and you should if you are a teacher especially) may lead to bigger things like the shooting in AZ.
It is so often believed that a teacher’s only job is to instruct their students in learning how to read, write, math, history and many other subjects. When in reality this is only part of a teacher’s job. Teacher’s also need to be aware of how their students are feeling and be able to recognize when there is a change in a student’s mood or behavior that is unusual for the student. Teachers are also responsible for teaching life skills such as conflict resolution and being able to use their works to solve their problems. And making it clear to students that you as the teacher are there for them no matter what, they can come to you the teacher for help in any situation.
Many children do not have a positive role model outside of school. I believe that in order to help prevent further tragedies, such as the shooting in Tucson, it is important for teachers to be positive role models for their students. I do not believe that children are born “bad”, rather I believe they learn from their environment and the adults they interact with.
Educators definitely need to be more aware of the behaviors and outside influences that affect the students within their classroom. Factors could include bullying from peers on campus or family problems at home, but whatever the case, these signs should be noticed and acted upon. More ongoing training should be available for teachers to recognize and intervene on these signs that are “out of the bounds of societal norms” so that the students who need help will get it. They say “it takes a village to raise a child” so this same village should recognize when a child needs help and not turn a blind eye and just hope the next person will do something.
I agree with what Dr. DiSalvo says about the role of educators in the society. Teachers are not merely the one who brings knowledge to children, but they also help shape children’s minds in some way. In order to do so, they need to be sensitive about what is happening around a student in their class and therefore take actions in due time. I remember blaming the teachers when I read about teenagers committing suicide because they were bullied by their classmates/ peers in the school. I think teachers could help prevent such incidents by better understanding the world around their students.