Letter to the Editor:
Rep. Wendy McNamara
Indiana Legislature “School Mental Health Bills” should be on reader’s radar for the danger they pose to every family with children and to teachers in the Indiana school system. It is unclear whether Indiana Legislators will kill these bills or vote on them rapidly. Therefore we must suspect they are alive and can be rapidly voted on if Indiana residents are not vigilant and actively opposing them.
Indiana House Bill HB-1004, authored by Wendy McNamara is one of the bills in question. At the core, this bill and the companion Senate bill are “School Mental Health Bills” and are likely funded by pharmaceutical companies and other groups out to control students, parents, teachers, and school corporations.
Sen. Vaneta Becker
Indiana House Bills HB-1004 and HB-1398 along with companion bill in the Indiana Senate SB-266 need to be on Indiana citizens radar! SB-266 has a number of senators connected to it including longtime Senator Vaneta Becker from Evansville. It too is a school mental health bill which tries to grab power over parents and students under the premise of violence in schools. Making all students in Indiana susceptible/in peril of being labeled and tracked as mentally ill, to require changes in curriculum; for teachers to identify, diagnose, report and track all students especially those that they define as mentally ill etc.
Furthermore, the legislation sets up unelected committees that shall decide what “normal” is. That is a very scary tactic in itself. Those committee members can define whatever they want to be normal or not normal and there will be no way to stop them! The committee members cannot be removed during their term from the committee except for very few causes. If you or anyone else in Indiana doesn’t like their definition of “normal” then you have no recourse. Don’t hold your breath that Indiana Legislators will consider removing this potential law and committee once the legislation is signed into law.
SEL – Social Emotional Learning and almost weekly Panorama Student Surveys have opened a door for Psychological Evaluations of Students through unqualified Schools and Teachers in Indiana
Most parents would agree that schools must teach academic subjects instead of becoming mental health institutions. Parents are already afraid to cross the school, the teacher or the principal. They believe their child will suffer in some way if they do something as simple as refusing to give permission on any form sent from the school. This legislation will only exacerbate the problem and parents will fear even sending children to school.
The Indiana Senators and House members are putting up a smoke screen making it unclear whether the bills are dead or not. It is likely they will hide under the radar, so to speak, and then make a quick vote. Furthermore, they are removing a word or two from the bills to make it less clear to the public what they are really doing; setting up Indiana families and students. Whatever they combine these monstrous bills into in committee will not be good. The proposed legislation must be killed!
People of Indiana should make phone calls now if not personal visits to Indiana legislators and if you have any contacts around the state of Indiana, notify them as well. Make others aware of this information such as teachers and parents so they can join in the fight against this legislation. Some may suggest getting the word out by finding a small group of people willing to hold signs in front of schools during drop off or pick up times. Or place signs in public area’s near schools, and other ideas to tell others in their organization, church, etc. Make others aware and oppose this!
Make an effort to tell Wendy McNamara (Phone: 317-232-9816 or 1-800-382-9841) and Vaneta Becker (Phone: 800-382-9467 or 317-232-9400) what you think as well as the other Indiana House and Senate members: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/
“VOTE NO ON THESE BILLS AND ANYTHING CONNECTED TO THEM”
Note: For those in Southern Indiana, Senator Jim Tomes has stated he is against the bill.
Signed – One Highly Concerned Parent
Links:
http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1398
http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/senate/266
http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1004
