Kern school psychologists got together at the El Torito Mexican Grill on California Avenue in their annual Back-To-School Bash on Friday, September 22nd, 2006.  There were plenty of vets, rookies, interns, and everyone in between present.  School psychologists are so busy serving students during the year, there is often very little time for camaraderie, a chance to visit and reflect, share stories, establish contacts, and meet others.  But on this night, there was time for all to meet, converse, and relax as yet another year in Kern County education starts.  Here's to another GREAT year!

Donald J. Asbridge, Ed.S., School Psychologist

Special Education has proudly served millions of students through the years, but just does not seem to be the "End-All, Be-All" (EABA) answer for all students, in my opinion.  Sometimes special education can help some students, but it's been my observation and experience over the past five to fifteen years that just as many special education students receive failing grades as do general education students; a fact which would seemingly fly in the face of what we would have predicted.  Usually, the student in special education receives the F because of low motivation, poor behavior, the choice not to make progress toward goals, poor attendance, or other reasons (such as meth dependence, gangs, etc.) -- in other words, the student fails for the same reason(s) s/he was failing before s/he was misplaced into special education.  Or put another way, meth dependence, low motivation, poor attendance, gang activities, behavior, and failure to complete homework are not special education disabilities.  If you have any students in your special education program who are failing due to non-special education reasons (that would probably be, um, all of those who are failing [unless of course, the district isn't providing FAPE {that's still another issue}]), they should be exited now.  Why keep them in special education for life hoping and praying that "sooner or later" the magic of special education will take effect?

We in the schools try everything to help students and finally, after nothing else worked, we put the kid in special education.  Special education is the EABA as per the IEP developed by the MDAT after SST as per IDEIA/NCLB through RtI or other?  Is it?  Well?  When the going get's tough, call us!  Is that really the best we can do?  Education at it's best?  That's the pinnacle of public education?  Call him or her "brain disordered" to uh, "help" him?

It's too bad special education is presented as (or perceived as) the "End-All, Be-All" answer for students who struggle.  Parents (and teachers) seem to be under the impression that, if their child/student is struggling in school, special education (if they can somehow fight to get their kid eligible) will swoop down and provide the quality, magical interventions their child needs in order to experience success.  Well, sometimes that happens.  More often, though, the student just needs to start regularly attending school.  When will we ever be able to just say it like it is?

What if AVID became the new EABA?  It would be like this:  alright, we've tried everything we can think of to help this kid, but instead of disabling him through special education, we're going to provide "tools for success" and empower him?  I wonder what would happen if that happened?

Donald J. Asbridge, Ed.S., School Psychologist

NCLB has seemingly discounted the concept of the normal curve.  NCLB appears to legislate that 100% of all students will pass in public education (i.e., "no child will be left behind").  Something has to give.  All of us who went through Psych 101 class remember the basic fundamental of the social sciences:  the normal curve.  You remember the normal curve, right?  Here's the quiz... 

You work in a school and it is published on the school's website that 100% of all students in the school graduated.  What do you do?

a) You say, "All right!  We fulfilled all requirements of NCLB!"
b) You say, "All right!  We always knew the normal curve was bogus!  Throw out social sciences!"
c) You say, "All right!  We all deserve a raise!  Is there any way we can get GWB reselected for a third term?"
d) You say, "Um sorry, but as a scientist, ethically I have to question/challenge that statistic... didn't we place 32.4% of our students (those who weren't going to graduate) into the alternative school?
e) You say, "Gee, the principal's 'No F' policy seems to have worked!"

Classroom Observation Donald J. Asbridge, Ed.S., School Psychologist The girls get A's and the boys get F's.  Girls hold all the leadership positions in the Associated Student Body (ASB).  Go ahead, complete an informal count of ASB officers at your school.  Tell me if I'm wrong.  That's the way matriarchal systems such as education work.  Is that okay with you?  I'm not saying anything because if a guy says anything, he's just a wimp and a complainer.  The last time there was such inequity between the genders, the feds passed Title IX.  That's my classroom observation;  my final report will of course state that the boy has AD/HD and needs meds.

Bad Bus Ride Donald J. Asbridge, Ed.S., School Psychologist If your bus ride was bad, it may have been your fault.  Or it might have been the driver's fault.  It could have been another passenger's fault.  It might have been the mechanic's fault or the company's fault.  It could have been due to another motorist.  Possibly it was your spouse's fault, your kid's fault, your best friend's fault, or maybe even God's fault.  But any way you look at it, two things are certain:  1) no one really cares if you had a bad bus ride, and 2) no matter what, you won't receive a refund.

Hi all!       I'm pleased to announce that there have been no instances of any misdiagnosis in Kern County for over two months!  I hope you had a great summer vacation!      See you next month,                Miss Diagnosis

 Donald J. Asbridge, Ed.S., School Psychologist

Have you noticed many of your coworkers in education have been under a lot of stress over the past few years?  You can tell they're under a lot of stress because they're running around and waving their hands and yelling a lot.  Many of them are pretty angry because of a variety of issues in the educational workplace.  Some have even become suicidal.  That's what sometimes happens when employees are put into impossible situations and/or they're feeling the weight of administration pushing them out.  It's my observation that this phenomenon seems to be happening a lot more in education these days.  What's your observation?

Excessive and unbearable stress are inevitable when an employee is expected to perform an impossible job such as teach all students at grade level, graduate 100% of all students, suffer through hidden religious or political agendas, succumb to some administrator's most recent warpath, or just "hang in there" even though s/he is considered nonessential.  But then, you're a psychologist -- I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, right?

"We all know how the rules are, changing from day to day,
Some of us will be going, some of us will stay..."
     Joe Walsh, Mother Says

The best support system for stressed out and struggling staff that districts have been able to come up with so far is BTSA.  Unfortunately, BTSA seems to follow the special education model:  to receive support under BTSA, the teacher first has to be labled as a "bad teacher."  Then they are provided very little support over the next two years or so by overworked "expert, tenured teachers" until the struggling rookie teacher is finally let go.  At least teachers have something, though -- school psychologists have nothing like that.  You're not a teacher, so BTSA is not available, you can't join the union, and you're not an administrator -- in short, if/when they want to get rid of you, you're outta' there!

If/when there are problems, numerous lawyers are available to protect the administrators.  The employee, however, has to go pay hundreds of thousands of dollars if s/he hopes for legal protection.  How can that be?  The lawyers protect administration, the district, and the board -- even if/when they're wrong.  I do understand it, though, having seen it occur firsthand quite a few times in my career.  Lawyers, unlike psychologists, seemingly don't flinch if they're right or wrong as long as they get their money.  I guess I don't get it after all -- maybe a legal expert could explain it to me.  I'm sure I'm the idiot, not understanding a lot of the legal nature of things... like how the administrator gets millions of dollars of free legal coverage (even if they're in the wrong), while the employee has to pay out of his/her own pocket (even if they're in the right)?

In the meantime, I'm very proud to be a psychologist.  I'm proud to be in a field with such high ethics.  Even though lawyers get paid a whole lot more than I, I couldn't live with myself knowingly defending the guilty,* for I have a conscience (if you're a behaviorst, that means, "emit the desired response").

How many of your coworkers are suicidal (I've encountered three in two years)?  How many go off for regular intensive counseling just trying to cope with ongoing stress, harassment, or discrimination in the workplace?  How many have recently elevated their blood pressure and now spend all their time screaming or at the doctor due to related health issues?  How many are choosing to voluntarilly -- or involunarally -- leave the profession?  Is it important for us to ask, "why?"

"Don't give us none of your aggravation -- we've had it with your discipline."
     Elton John, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

"Out to pasture, think it's safe to say, it's time to open fire."
     Joe Walsh, Rocky Mountain Way**

Nowadays it's much easier for an administrator to just get rid of the employee.  Take my word for it -- it could easily be you.  Just when you least expect it.  I hope you take my word on this one.

Here's my positive recommendation:  What if whenever there was a [legal] disagreement between an administrator and an employee, one lawyer came in an represented the administrator and another lawyer came in to represent the employee, all paid for by the district in hopes of seeking justice and what's right?  Everyone's in the same district and everyone's [theoretically] innocent until proven guilty?  The district does pay for legal representation, after all.  Why only for one side?  Administration is not always right.

*Yes I know that's how "the system" works.  But just because it's a "system" doesn't mean it's an ethical system.
**The Rocky Mountain Way... a lot of people live in the Rockies or are from the Rockies.

Dear KOG Editor,    I like your new updated graphic!                Signed, "A Fan" Dear Fan,    Thanks!  I like your's too!                Signed, KOG Editor Dear KOG Editor,    I had a bad bus ride once -- it was entirely my fault."                Signed, "Just Being Honest" Dear Just Being Honest,    No one cares and you still don't get a refund.                Signed, KOG Editor Dear KOG Editor,    When a school places 32.4% of their students in an alternative school and claims a 100% graduation rate, isn't that unethical?                Signed, "Stat Freak" Dear Stat Freak,    It was 32.423374%!  If you're truly a stat freak (like you claim to be, hah!), you could be more precise.  And it's not unethical if it's the same formula that's used in Texas.  It's the same formula that got our president elected and the basis for NCLB.  You're not calling my education president "unethical," are you?                Signed, KOG Editor Dear KOG Editor,    When was the last time you sat down in your garage at midnight, typed up the most recent KOG, and listened to Joe Walsh's Greatest Hits?                Signed, "Journalism Major at CSUB" Dear Journalism Major,    Now, that's an amazing coincidence!  It's midnight as I'm typing this very sentence and I'm listening to Joe Walsh's Greatest Hits at this very moment!  Unbelievable!                 Signed, Midnight Man Dear KOG Editor,    I'm mad as heck and I'm not going to take it any more!  Almost every issue of the KOG, there you are begging for contributions!  I have to speak up.  Why should I contribute to you?  Just tell me that!  Explain yourself!  I think it's unethical for you to ask for money!                Signed, "Take That!" Dear TT!,    Oh my gosh, I believe you've made an unfortunate mistake!  I'm not asking for money -- I'm asking if you'd like to positively contribute to your field, society, and the education and mental health of students by discussing and debating real issues in the KOG.  Sorry if there's been a misunderstanding.                Signed, KOG Editor

Dear KOG Editor,    My science teacher refuses to teach creationism in class; he insists on only teaching evolution.  I want to be taught the truth:  creationism!  And I demand all the others in the class be taught the truth also.  What are my rights?                Signed, "Sophomore" Dear Sophomore,    You have the right to a free and appropriate public education.  In public schools, science is taught for free and science has been deemed an appropriate component of public education by those who make such decisions.  But you do have choices.  If you would like to receive a religious education, you could choose to attend a private religious school and/or of course, the church of your choice.  Ultimately, I think it's a great life lesson for you to learn that many hold different beliefs about what's "true" science -- I know I run into the same dilemma in my field every day.                Signed, KOG Editor Dear KOG Editor,      Is "MIss Diagnosis" a real person?                Signed, "Interested" Dear Interested,    Yes, very, very real.                Signed, KOG Editor Dear KOG Editor,    My science teacher refuses to teach evolution in class; he insists on only teaching creationism.  I want to be taught the truth:  evolution!  And I demand all the others in the class be taught the truth also.  What are my rights?                Signed, "Junior" Dear Junior,    Gee whiz.  Golly!  Oh, gosh.  Umm.  Aaargh.  I remember the good old days.  Do you know I only have 408 days until I can retire?  Okay... here's my answer:  why don't you just show up to school and try your best every day?  I know public education is a very difficult journey for thirteen or so years of your life, but study hard now and maybe you can grow up to be a lawyer... then you can have significant effect on education.                Signed, KOG Editor Dear KOG Editor,    In last month's RtI crossword, I got stuck on number 29 across.  Could you help me out with a clue?                Signed, "The School Disciplinarian" Dear School Disciplinarian,    No!  That's three day's suspension for defiance.  You must complete all work assigned to you.  If you don't complete the puzzle now, you're in violation of Ed Code and I'll expel you -- I'll do it too!  Now, get to class.                Signed, KOG Editor Dear KOG Editor,    Do you believe there will be another terrorist attack on American soil?                Signed, "Nervous Student" Dear Nervous Student,    I encourage you to live life to the fullest!  Have a lot of fun!  Empower yourself.  Take the time to care for and love important people in your life.  Worrying and being nervous won't help.  Rest assured we have the president, the vice president, the secretary of defense, the department of homeland security, the state deparment, the senate, NSA, and um, FBI and CIA all working on it.  The greatest minds in America!  So just enjoy life now, okay?  Relax!                Signed, KOG Editor

Solution to KOG's IEP Crossword Puzzle      Hope this wasn't too tricky!  Next month's crossword will be on the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, so study up!