After years of school counselor grooming in secret sessions, North Dakota Bill Requires Psych Evals
Not as good a solution as Arizona's HB2862, but the reasons for the bill are the same: get parents back in control over school counseling
Arizona’s HB2862 introduced by Rep Matt Gress seeks to eliminate secret counseling sessions - by putting parents in control of whether their children can be engaged by counselor. Because parents, not educators, have the fundamental right to make mental health care decisions for their children, HB2862 requires:
written notification of referrals for counseling, and
informed parental consent and approval of
comprehensive, written intervention plans that disclose the purpose and nature of the intervention, and lots of other material information required to make an real, true informed consent - not just check-the-box approval.
No school personnel should have unfettered access to children and the ability to pull a child out of classrooms for one-on-one counseling, behind closed doors, with no notice or consent from a parent.
But that's exactly how a North Dakota school counselor for 15 years gained access to young high school girls - by pulling them out of class, unannounced, and taking them to his private office. Behind closed doors, he asks them about their home life, which leads to questions about their sexual relationships with boyfriends - to the point of his arousal. And, at times, acting on that arousal to sexually assault young girls. It happened to this man's wife.
Here he is giving an emotional testimony in support of a proposed bill requiring North Dakota school counselors undergo periodic psychological evaluations. And while I think that's not a particularly effective way to deal with the issue - Arizona's HB2862 would do far more - his story demonstrates why regulating school counseling is necessary:
You can hear the anguish in his voice as describes how his high school football coach and school counselor, whom he trusted at the time - sexually assaulted his wife when she was a student, and then, horrifically, used threats of his own suicide and self-harm to keep her quiet. His manipulation of many of his victims even continued after they graduated.
"Eventually he attacked my wife from behind in his office at our school. After that, his threats of suicides and talking in videos of him cutting himself were used against her to control her to keep her from talking, and feeling guilty."
After the school board refused to take action, eventually state law enforcement was called in to end the 15-years of manipulation and sexual assaults.
This next parent testifies in support the bill by pointing out that North Dakota law does not require parental consent or notification to meet counselors one-on-one, behind closed doors. She highlights that any other school staff, like physical therapists, nurses and speech therapists, require prior written consent. So do outside therapists - so why the exception for school counselors, she asks:
"Essentially, if a parent has the right to give their informed consent before their child participates in therapeutic counseling sessions outside the school building, parents should certainly retain this right when their child enters the school building."
She goes on, asking what protects her rights as a parent to protect her child?
"And further, if a student needs mental health services, it is the parent's right to select a provider who aligns with their cultural, philosophical, and religious spiritual worldview. As a parent, I am left to ask, what are the safeguards and protections for children when it comes to school counseling services. What are the parental rights?"
Arizona's HB2862 puts parents back in control of school counseling. Common sense regulation. Read more here:
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