My Wellspring of Idealism

After a difficult two years in Idaho, I have returned to Minnesota to continue my career. Eighteen years in Indian Education has been both rewarding and challenging. I found a particularly difficult situation in Idaho that spiraled into chaos after I published an article in the Idaho State Journal entitled " A Fatal Link". This article was my thoughts, observations, and research on the link between FASD and violent incidents including school shootings.

One thing I have found on the reservations is the denial of the impact or existence of FASD. My observation suggests 60 to 70 percent of the students attending the tribal schools I have worked in are victims of FASD. The majority of those students are living with one biological parent, a grandparent, or an auntie. I have seen up to fourteen children under the age of 15 living with one grandmother, a woman so tired she could hardly function at work, let alone take care of fourteen disfunctional children. This household was the court authorized house of horrors for the younger children who were victims of the older perpetrators. All we could do at the school was to report.

Years of this had caused my wellspring of idealism to run dry. When I returned to Minnesota this June, I had to heal. I have started a new job in a healthy community and found the epidemic of FASD is prevalent there as well as on the reservations. Today, I opened my blog and read comments. I would like to thank Kari and Jo for opening up my wellspring again. I will continue writing. I will continue telling everyone so more eyes are opened. I also know that eyes need to be continually reminded to stay opened, because so quickly we forget if we are not continually reminded. I salute the parents who are so committed to their FASD children. To those parents, I say structure and support are so vital. I have seen the evidence of a lack of support and structure. Your children have a chance, the ones with no support or structure don't have a chance.