Special Ed Teacher Becomes Special Ed Mother

During our yearlong research study with parents of kids with a disability we made some startling discoveries about many schools and many Special Ed Teachers: "The view most parents with suspicion and want to keep them as far away from the classroom as possible." In fact, one person said, "We have an adversarial relationship with the parents."

This is a terrible situation! It harms the child, it harms the child's family and it harms the school and teachers. If we can help parents and schools learn how to cooperate with each other it can bless everyone.

A Special Ed Teacher recently wrote an interesting letter about why she suddenly discovered why cooperation is so important. Read it and see what you think.

Russian Law Denies Human Rights

My good friend and member of our team in Russia, Anatoly, sent me a blog report showing that a newly proposed law is trying to take all rights away from babies. Pray for our ministry team as they fight against these kinds of inhuman movements.

I had the Russian blog translated into English.

The Russian Parliament is planning legislation to deprive the rights of unborn children
08.09.10 | 21:31 NMA>> Society

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Unborn children denied the right to be regarded as living beings and will be assigned a status of "products of conception". The moment of birth is the moment of separation of the product of conception from its mother through childbirth. "This provision is incorporated in the draft Federal Law" On the basis of the health of citizens of Russia ", article 49. The document is not the old position of "illegal conduct of abortion," which primarily entailed criminal liability under the law.

Also noteworthy, that the child before birth is now disparagingly called a "product of conception". Finally, from the bill removed a provision on criminal liability for illegal sterilization, and a number of articles document establishes the procedure for forced sterilization and forced abortion to resolve legal guardians or the court.

Priest Maxim Obukhov commented on the initiative of legislators in an interview portal KM.ru as follows: "Regarding the definition of" product of conception, "it - generally unheard of. In general, the laws of many civilized countries there is the concept of "child before birth," because at the time of birth in a child, nothing changes except the change of mode of breathing and feeding. From a legal point of view, the phrase "product of conception" closes many opportunities to protect children before birth. And how can man be called "product of conception"? It lowers the status of the unborn child in Russia, even compared with those European countries where abortion is permitted. "

A founder of the initiative group "Donors - Children Catherine Chistyakova in his blog said:" product of conception "- that the zygote and blastula and gastrula, and mulberry body, and the embryo and the newborn in one person. All of us, in essence, only the products of conception. And abortions and miscarriages - is also labor. And yet, I from this "product" begin to fall into the legal nihilism. "

According to the American lawyer Irina Feofanova proposed wording of the article raises many questions and not entirely consistent with international legal standards. Despite the fact that in international law there is no general concept of birth, the very event of birth, as well as nurturing the child, endowed with important legal value. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 proclaims: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights". Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 provides in its preamble that "the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth". According to Article 7, Clause 1 of the said Convention, "The child shall be registered immediately after birth and date of birth, the right to a name and a nationality, as well as possible, the right to know their parents and the right to be cared for." It should also be noted that "... a child means every human being below the age of 18 years of age ...», wrote Milites Christi Imperatoris citing Vaznica.info. And as you know, "human being" begins its existence and activity before birth.

Psychologist Irina judge considers that the wording proposed in the law inhuman. "The consequences can be only if it raised the question of respect in general, to a man and a child in the first place. But unfortunately in our society, not valued as a person's life, and little respect for the individual as vnutreutrobnogo and newborn child. In terms of competencies, even if the appeal to judicial organizations, the word "product" would interpret in a certain way: while the child is born, it is the product (which is absurd initially, especially if many people say a child who develops in utero, as a developed being heard , feeling, reacting to each vibration) "- says Irina.

An important change in the law is that reproductive technologies will be available to all. Establish a legally guaranteed right of access to reproductive technologies, including for persons who are not married, such as homosexual couples.

Digital Communication

As a relationship counselor who builds myself as "Building a lifetime of great relationships" I am concerned about what current technology is doing to our human and spiritual relationship habits. Wit so much tweeting, texting and face booking going on people are expressing their little hearts out but who is listening and responding? To whom can we go for a "heart-to-heart talk" now days? There are many people reading this and more or not reading and just ignoring so what does all this digital interaction portend for the future? Maybe the Japanese, who have been doing the digital dances longer than we Americans, have a clue to the future. Take a look at this Wall Street Journal article.

I find it fascinating that these young Japanese men have no personal relationships with a real woman. Is it because their social skills are so weak that they cannot hold a conversation" Maybe their are so scared of the opposite sex that they simply hide in the caves of their computer screens and live off the fantasy of speaking to and listening to a cartoon character.

I have noted over the years how rare it is for people to hold a conversation that stays on an important topic for more than one or two interchanges. If a friend tries to share something that is bothering or concerning him/her and tells someone, that listener will change the subject after no more than two interactions. I suppose these cartoon women in Japan will stay on topic for longer than that.

One trend that may help young texters, however, is gaming. When I broached this topic with a fifteen year old recently he said, "We don't text all the time. We actually talk on the phone a lot because we have to cooperate with each other to beat the other team. That was news to me and it was good news. My grand kids may not be as digitized as I feared. I would never have guessed it was because of computer games.

Still, these young men in Japan are cause for concern, I think. Computer and video sex can be powerful inducements for withdrawal from life and an introduction to addiction. I am convinced that teaching adults and student good social skills is essential to the future health of our families, churches and society. Churches with small groups can be a great antidote for impersonal relationships.

Crisis in American Society

Peter Drucker was one of the smartest and the wisest men of the 20Th century. He is the "father" of what is now called, "Management and Organizational Development", the study and leadership of organizational health.

Bob Buford is a very successful businessman and a committed Christian. He writes a monthly newsletter about faith, business, leadership and healthy organizations. He also studied under Mr. Drucker and often adds one or more of his comments to the newsletter.

This month Bob Buford added the following Drucker comments.

I vividly remember a dinner I had during the 1990’s with Peter Drucker. He said, “What we had in the 30’s was a healthy society sitting on a sick economy. What we have now is a sick society sitting on a healthy economy (the 90’s).

My question now: “What do you do when you have a sick society sitting on a sick economy?” Oh, how I miss Peter’s wisdom in these turbulent times.

I also miss Mr. Drucker's wisdom, but I am not so sure I agree with him on one point. I certainly agree that we had a sick society sitting on a healthy economy back in the Nineties. There is no doubt that we Christians need to ramp up our intentional efforts to bring healing and growth to the individuals, families and organizations in which we live and work.

However, did we have a sick economy and a healthy society during the Thirties? I do not think so but we did have a confluence of values that allowed many people to advance economically and socially. Today we do not have that consensus.

Never the less, our greatest need today is not money but spiritual, emotional strengthening. Dr. Robert Fogel, the Nobel Prize Winner, wrote about this in his book The Fourth Great Awakening. Can Christians be as aware of the need as a Jewish Economist like Fogel?

As a Family Therapist I read the current literature about family life, functionality and dysfunction and societal trends. There seems to be an agreement that we are seeing a precipitous stage of regression in healthy family functioning. I agree.

This issue is close to my heart because I have been personally, organizationally and a teacher in healing and growth for many years. Christian leaders who are not concerned about advancing the healing ministry of Jesus but who are concerned about the moral, ethical and relational dysfunctions they see are barking at the moon not really making a difference.

It is a mystery to me why Pastors, Evangelists, Teachers, Missionaries and Peer Helpers are not focusing more on healing the broken hearted and setting the captives free. Do you know why? Write your thoughts on this issue.