Victim: 'No Malice Towards Loughner-only sadness that we as a society were not able to help him'

[kpete]

Couric: I know you're a former teacher. You actually taught at Jared Loughner's middle school and his high school although you never knew him. There's been a lot of conversation about how students like Jared Loughner can slip through the cracks and I know this is something you really want to focus on now.

Simon: I also was very honored to have a visit from the President and the First Lady in the hospital room. And we spent a few minutes talking about something that every teacher knows. That very early on you see the kids that are separated from other kids and clearly are showing social behavior problems and mental health problems. We need to do a better job as a nation of identifying these kids and getting them help.

I have no malice towards this young man at all, I only have sadness that we as a society were not able to help him.

the rest:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/14/eveningnews/main7247608.shtml
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/14/eveningnews/main7247608.shtml

I have no malice towards this young man at all, I only have sadness that we as a society were not able to help him.

[LiberalEsto]

1. The problem is that the resources don't exist

I live in an area with of the nation's largest, best school systems - Montgomery County, Maryland. My kids went through the public school system here and graduated about a decade ago. Since then, resources have been cut again and again. When my kids were there, there might have been one guidance counselor rotating through a couple or more elementary schools. The ones in middle and high schools were swamped. In-school nurses have been replaced by health techs. I have no idea what they have now.

When my older one was in middle school, she was harassed by another girl who we heard was being horribly abused. If she did something wrong, her parents beat her and forced her to sleep outside the house. We called guidance counselors and administrators multiple times, begging them to do something to help this kid, who was taking her own misery out on my daughter. I called Child Protective Services too. They may have visited the family, but if there were no visible injuries on the kid, nothing could be done, so the kid was stuck there with her abusive family.

I once worked for an organization (Center for Assault Prevention) that teaches kids how to resist and report abuse, and I know from personal experience that government child protective services are overwhelmed with huge caseloads and insufficient staff and enforcement powers. There aren't enough good foster homes or other placement options available.

Bottom line: the system does not have adequate resources to help kids with mental problems at any age, even in an affluent county like MoCo, MD. And those few resources keep getting cut and cut because of budget gaps. It is a fucking emergency for kids with mental health issues.

[Donnachaidh]

5. you also have to factor in the shame response to mental illness

Did his parents try to get help for him? Some families react by being so shamed they do nothing -- deer in the headlights.

Mental illness might be less stigmatic than in the past, but shame, and the fear of being judged by others puts the family members into a hell not many of us would like - or survive in.

[LiberalEsto]

6. Or they lack any kind of health insurance nt

[LisaL]

8. Loughner's mother worked for Pima's county so I presume

she would have health insurance benefits.

[Raschel]

10. You're right. Many families try to keep it hidden. Often it can invite ostracism, affect chances for

employment and other difficulties.

I noticed during the President's speech that he did not once refer directly to the killer, or called him a 'madman' or 'monster' as many others did.

[47of74]

9. And to Governors like Rick Scott, Terry Branstad, Haley Barbour, et al

Such programs are the first thing that have to go.

[dkf]

2. Yet we put so much extra funds into special Ed.

Many of these kids will never be able to live independently. Kids with mental health issues could be productive members of society with the right kind of help.

[Zephie]

3. I'm truly astounded by the outpouring of forgiveness on the victims part

So far no one has come out and called for Laughner's head as far as I know, just felt bad for him and his obvious problems. Such compassion =(

[LisaL]

4. Father of one victim said he would favor capital punishment.

[rucky]

7. She's a bigger person than I. n/t

[Raschel]

11. Many times those who have been through much are able to forgive much.

[rucky]

13. Considering the alternative, it actually makes sense.

People can see themselves as helpless victims of an unjust world, or they can make things just. Thinking about this, I can see how forgiveness can be a powerful way to do that.

[Catherina]

12. Thank you Pam Simon. Rec'd n/t