THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 3, 1996 TAG: 9602030016
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
Counseling in schools must continue without requiring parental consent. The whole purpose of having a school counselor, a person to confide in as problems arise while in school, would be destroyed if children could not seek these services as they need they. What better place to have a counselor, since school is where children spend the majority of their time? There is absolutely nothing wrong with turning to churches or friends when problems arise, but not every child has these other outlets.
What are parents afraid of? Unless the parent has something to hide, there is no reason for a parent to be worried about his or her child seeing a school counselor. Counselors do not put ideas in children's heads; they simply listen to what the child has to say. They are not going to lay the child on a sofa and wait for free associations to reveal the underlying psyche.
Requiring parental consent to see a school counselor defies all logic in the system. Not all children feel comfortable turning to their parents in certain situations, so they need to know there is someone they can turn to in these times to get help. Counselors do not want to take the place of parents; rather, they want to bring a problem to the parents' attention so it can de dealt with in the family environment. Oftentimes, parents today are not able or willing to devote enough time to their children to resolve problem situations.
Not allowing children to see a school counselor at their own discretion would do a great disservice to our youth.
KRISTIN A. WERNER
Norfolk, Jan. 21, 1996 by CNB