Blog

By Thalia Gonzalez and Rebecca Epstein, The National Law Journal, July 9, 2020 In this historic moment, cities across the nation are recognizing the damage caused by police presence in schools. From disproportionate action in response to small offenses, to police involvement in tantrums and dress code violations, officers militarize school environments in ways that harm all students, but especially students of color. In New York City, the schools chancellor recently announced that police...

By Mary Lou Fulton, Center for Health Journalism, July 17, 2020 I was driving back to Los Angeles from my Arizona hometown when I heard an NPR story about a political rally with a familiar refrain. If only we could go back to the good old days, America’s problems would be solved. For years, the “make America great again” theme was repeated in news stories without much of a challenge. What good old days are we talking about? The days when Black people could be killed by police with impunity?

By Joseph P. Bishop, Ed Source, July 20, 2020 Due to the coronavirus crisis , California, like many states, is seeing surging unemployment, the highest in 50 years . Communities of color are prone to suffer higher rates of infection from the virus, and the economic burden disproportionately falls on black and Latinx parents , who are less likely to be able to work from home during the pandemic. Moreover, data from Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the state, show that 599,000...

By Nadra Nittle, The Chronicle of Social Change, July 1, 2020 Highly trained, well-paid preschool teachers with low-student ratios, clean, safe classrooms with blocks, playdough, art supplies and outdoor spaces where kids can run and play could be key to closing the racial achievement gap, according to a new Rutgers University study. The June policy analysis by the university’s National Institute of Early Education Research concludes that preschools have more influence on the academic...

Cowart Trauma Informed Partnership is thrilled to announce new initiative in trauma-informed policing!

Please join us tomorrow, Thursday July 23rd as Emily Read Daniels and myself facilitate a discussion around what we can learn from the PolyVagal theory and cultivating a felt sense of safety as we plan to retun to school. We will do a brief presentation and then breakout session to discuss in small groups. Weekly themes include: How do we create physical and psychological safety, especially in the face of so much uncertainty? What strategies can we use to create a culture of collective care?

Paul Krauss MA LPC and Robert Rhoton Psy D., LPC, D.A.A.E.T.S. discuss the physiology of trauma. Dr. Rhoton defines trauma not as a one-time, terrible event; rather, he defines it as repetitive adversity that causes physiological symptoms. When the autonomic nervous system is constantly being triggered, the stress of this is a more accurate description of what trauma does to our bodies. Dysautonomia is a medical term that describes any time symptoms emerge because the balance between the...

I'm so thrilled to announce that I've solidified my first speaking/training engagement for 2021! In March, I'll be delivering a series of trainings through CLAS - Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools! Now, more than ever, understanding the impact of trauma and stress on students is absolutely necessary for effectively reaching and teaching our students. I would LOVE to connect with others of you (or those at your institutions) who believe in the VALUE of bringing this training to your...

Our work is sacred, and so are we. Our work can sometimes feel like there is room for nothing else. No time for stillness, no time for space, and no time to nurture ourselves and our spirit. Professional Spirituality™ is a term Tovi Scruggs-Hussein created to recognize our leadership as being the “Alpha-Energy” in our work, in our schools, and in our organizations. Those who practice professional spirituality recognize that our leadership is a calling of service, a calling to show up as our...

In this article, the author makes the case that school organizations need to adopt a universal precaution approach for addressing trauma, and the systemic changes required to do so. With this approach, every adult has the potential for a positive impact on each child in his or her care. (The entire PDF document is attached and can be downloaded.)

Photo caption: Sharon Mccutcheon/unsplash.com (The article below is an excerpt from my book , Crazy Was All I Ever Knew: The Impact of Maternal Mental Illness on Kid s. I have used a pseudonym to protect the privacy of family members.) Most kids of parents with a mental illness experience childhood differently and less innocently than other children as they deal with their often chaotic home lives and navigate their worlds. **** If you are the son or daughter of a parent with a mental...

By Kelsi Anderson, July 21, 2020, KSDK. "We want to support the members of our community who experience a traumatic event in the course of serving their neighbors" ST. PETERS, Mo. — Firefighters came together to create a nonprofit mental health initiative for bystanders of traumatic events after seeing the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder firsthand. Through the new Central County Fire and Rescue Community Crisis Assistance Program (CCAP), people can receive free counseling with...