Ivan has an ACEs score of 8 and he's failing in most of his classes, described as "a lazy student who won't do the work." In fact, he lives with a troubled family struggling with mental health challenges.
We adults must acknowledge the contradiction between the espoused views that all students deserve the chance to study hard and succeed, and the reality that so many students are traumatized by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), diminishing their capacity to achieve in school.
Students with ACEs can become marginalized--seen as either acting out or disengaged with classwork. Most sit silently in despair, worried about the trauma awaiting them in their living rooms, not math homework.
We adults can no longer ignore that fact that the country is not living up to its cherished value of being a place that gives every student a chance to learn and succeed.
The solution is collaboration--not finger-pointing. It's about designing school policies for ACEs and community building to provide the appropriate resources for every district.
To change the status quo that leaves so many students behind and families traumatized, we need to meet with school boards, mayors, city council members and county commissioners now.
Dominic Cappello, co-author of Anna, Age Eight: The data-driven prevention of childhood trauma and maltreatment. Anna, Age Eight is now downloadable free-of charge here: www.AnnaAgeEight.org
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