FAMILY MATTERS

"The core experience of psychological trauma are disempowerment and disconnection from others. Recovery, there is based upon the empowerment of the survivor and the creation of new connections. Recovery can take place only within the context of the relationship; it cannot occur in isolation. In her renewed connections with the other people, the survivor recreates the psychological faculties that were damaged or deformed by the traumatic experience. These faculties include the basic capacities for trust, autonomy, initiative, competence, identity, and intimacy. Just as these capabilities are originally formed in relationships with other people, they must be reformed in such relationships."

- from Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror by Judith Lewis Herman, M.D.

This was the opening statement made to the staff by the school pyschologist of a public school in Brooklyn in preparation to help unite the staff and instill confidence in what they were about to do - that is, to bring calm to New York City's public school children, validate their feelings and help them recover and heal so they will be able to go about their business of learning in spite of it all.

The Crisis Intervention Team of the school was called together Sept. 12 by the principal. It is made up of teachers, a guidance counselor, social worker, school psychologist, the assistant principal and the principal.

Together we drew up a plan for the teachers on how to discuss with the children the horrific event that took place the day before. It was also to assess who had been directly effected among the staff and children.

The Crisis Intervention Team had to ensure that we as a staff were united in our efforts, in spite of the fact that teachers continue to work without a contract and the school aides have suffered a cut from a six-hour workday to a four-hour workday.

But now we as teachers and staff must join with our brothers and sisters in uniform, with the rescue workers and the construction workers, the iron workers, the very people we just had marched alongside at the Labor Day Parade only four days ago. We as teachers and staff must now rise to the occasion and do what we know best and that is to help the children of New York City work through this crisis, onward to recovery and healing.

As teachers, paraprofessionals, school aides, guidance counselors, social workers, cafeteria workers and custodians, we must help to comfort the children who are in our charge, to make them feel safe and bring back a semblance of an ordinary school day.

The Crisis Intervention Team spoke of the possibility of biased reactions and racial profiling. We are a nation made of many nations. At the West Indian Day Parade you could see the flags representing the many nations that make up the Caribbean community, including people of Middle Eastern or Arab decsent.

In the streets of Flatbush you hear how people have been effected by this horrific event. In this community people are waving the American flag side by side with their own in expressing a sense of community.

We were told we must rise out of the ashes, dust our selves off and together as a school community we will get through this crisis.

In listening to the discussion in the teachers' lounge, the main concern was the possibility of retaliation and the form it might take. Some teachers expressed concern that in this time, our own civil rights and liberties could be taken away, that the right wing may take extremes.

Teachers said we should not repeat mistakes in the past like the interment of the Japanese or McCarthyism. Some teachers expressed the need to look back to where this started from and the United States' involvement in the Middle East like Desert Storm. Teachers said there must be a better way, that we must work towards peace and not to a war that no one will win.

- Maria Ortiz

***************************************************

To help children through this crisis you can assure children that they are safe and their parents are okay. Children should not be watching the news, it tends to give them nightmares. Let them read or watch children's programing. Validate their feelings. Be tolerant of their difficulties in dealing with this crisis. Be aware of acting out and/or uncharacteristic behavior. Guidance counselor, social workers and or school psychologists can do individual counseling if the need arises.