New report on Newtown shooter

[Chris_]

In February 2007, Yale clinicians identified in Adam Lanza what they believed were profound emotional disabilities and offered him treatment that could give him relief for the first time in his troubled life.

Nancy Lanza rejected the Yale doctors' plan. Adam was 14.

Six years later, Adam, now an emaciated recluse and fixated with mass killers, murdered his mother and massacred 20 children and six educators before turning a gun on himself at the elementary school he once attended in the Sandy Hook section of Newtown.

A report released today by the Office of the Child Advocate pointed to the Yale episode as one of dozens of red flags, squandered opportunities, blatant family denial and disturbing failures by pediatricians, educators and mental health professionals to see a complete picture of Adam Lanza's "crippling" social and emotional disabilities.

While the report does not draw a line between the events in Adam Lanza's young life and the massacre, it points out repeated examples where the profound anxiety and rage simmering inside Lanza was not explored in favor of attempts to manage his symptoms.

Los Angeles Times

[Dori]

There are a lot of sick and dysfunctional people in the world.  I don't know if it's worse today than it ever was before, or if we think it is, because of our 24/7 news cycle.

[Chris_]

I don't know.  Maybe it's both.  I don't think we're built to live in a world with 24/7 stimulation.  There are TED lectures on this, specifically how our "modern" lifestyle alters brain chemistry and behavior.

This one focuses on pornography, but Internet and video game play could easily fit in the same category.  Constant environmental stimulation (noise, light, motion) is another.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSF82AwSDiU[/youtube]

Even with the filthy, awful hotel I stayed in and an overall lackluster experience, the vacation I took in September/October was the best week I've had all year.  I unplugged completely and barely touched a computer or telephone and felt like I used to feel before I spent most of my time behind a desk and staring at a small screen.

[Ptarmigan]

Adam Lanza clearly had problems. His mother, Nancy Lanza, was no better and was enabling him.

[Donpeyote]

Another "When Nutjob Liberals Attack" incident .

[wasp69]

A report released today by the Office of the Child Advocate pointed to the Yale episode as one of dozens of red flags, squandered opportunities, blatant family denial and disturbing failures by pediatricians, educators and mental health professionals to see a complete picture of Adam Lanza's "crippling" social and emotional disabilities.

In short, this kid belonged in a mental institution but, thanks to liberal meddling and the "mainstreaming" approach, people like Lanza are left to wander amongst the rest of the population until they snap.

[cmypay]

Total social isolation is unhealthy for any human. The school went the easy route on this one, just did what the mother wanted, instead of following education law that has been in place since 1972.
Meanwhile, child protective services harasses families that they disagree with.

[Donpeyote]

The Kid looks like the Son of one of the Ramones 

[obumazombie]

Adam Lanza clearly had problems. His mother, Nancy Lanza, was no better and was enabling him.

It's a repetitive story.
I had an Aunt and cousin in similar circumstances. My cousin only ended up destroying his own life, and had 3 sisters who turned out very well.

[Eupher]

So here we have pretty clear evidence that a mother's decision is the principal reason for the Newtown shootings.

cmypay, I'd like to see some reference made to the 1972 law that you allude to. Ultimately, I believe that a competent parent -- and there's no indication I've read anywhere that suggests that Nancy Lanza was not competent -- is singularly responsible for her child. Not the education system. Far too often we hear of horror stories that an overzealous, but "well-meaning" CPS employee gets a bee in her bonnet and goes after a perceived parental nutjob. Now we've got a Big Brother situation -- government is gonna make everything all right.

Now, I'll say that if a parent reaches out for help due to report like what the Yale doctor offered, the system should be prepared, ready, willing, and able to help that parent. Again, I've heard horror stories (and know of several examples) where a parent was literally at the end of her rope and could not get adequate legal help to control the behavior of her child.

Meanwhile, the 2nd Amendment in Connecticut has been completely thrown out the window. The state's massive overreaction to Sandy Hook has created a standoff between many legal gun owners who refuse to submit their guns to registration and will not turn in their weapons that the anti-gun nuts call "assault weapons".

In other words, Connecticut politicians have attacked the tool, not the problem. Typical.

[catsmtrods]

I days gone by family's knew when one of their members were not acceptable in society and kept them locked away and took care of them. Liberalism put the kibosh on that!

[cmypay]

Eupher, I did misspeak. The original law is the IDEA act and took effect in 1975, has been reauthorized in 1990, 1997 and 2004. It is the law that created IEPs for students with disabilities. It requires public schools to advocate for students, not the parents. Now, does the law actually work that way? Sometimes, but more often than not, I am seeing parents begging for help for their kids and not getting it. Nothing to do with CPS at all. But if the school system was in possession of the Yale report, they had a duty to act. I do wonder if the mother refused the help.

[J P Sousa]

Is the ACLU responsible for the massacre in Newtown?
http://www.redstate.com/diary/Jack_Savage/2012/12/20/is-the-aclu-responsible-for-the-massacre-in-newtown-repost/

  August 6, 2008

CONTACT: (505) 266-5915 ext. 1003

ALBUQUERQUE— Yesterday, the New Mexico Court of Appeals struck down a city ordinance, affirming an earlier ruling, that would have empowered the city of Albuquerque to forcibly medicate people with mental illnesses. The Assisted Outpatient Treatment Law (AOT) conflicted with state laws that require patient consent before treatment.  This decision is a tremendous victory – upholding civil liberties in New Mexico.
 

  Protection and Advocacy System, Inc., the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico (ACLU), and The Law Offices of Peter Cubra initially sued the City in 2006, alleging that AOT subjects people with mental illness to potentially invasive treatment regimens based upon speculation that they might become dangerous. 

[Ptarmigan]

Adam Lanza should of been institutionalized period.

[Eupher]

Eupher, I did misspeak. The original law is the IDEA act and took effect in 1975, has been reauthorized in 1990, 1997 and 2004. It is the law that created IEPs for students with disabilities. It requires public schools to advocate for students, not the parents. Now, does the law actually work that way? Sometimes, but more often than not, I am seeing parents begging for help for their kids and not getting it. Nothing to do with CPS at all. But if the school system was in possession of the Yale report, they had a duty to act. I do wonder if the mother refused the help.

Ah, okay.

Just read the Wiki article on this legislation and it -- surprise, surprise -- winds up mandating states to comply with that law if they accept federal money. All states accept that money, so all must comply. smh.

Based on the OP, the Yale report was presented to the mother and she declined/discounted the help. Whether the school system was given the same information, I guess we'll never know. But even if the school system knew about Adam, it seems to me the parent is in the position of working with the school system or not.

The quickest way to piss off a parent is for the f'n government to come wading in and say, "Hi! I'm from the government! I'm here to help! And if you don't want the help, I'm gonna shove it down your throat anyway."

[Big Dog]

I days gone by family's knew when one of their members were not acceptable in society and kept them locked away and took care of them. Liberalism put the kibosh on that!

The day houses stopped being built with garrets was the day the world went to hell.

Where are we supposed to lock up our crazy kids, DUmmies, and vesta?

 

(Just kidding, vesta.)

[Big Dog]

So here we have pretty clear evidence that a mother's decision is the principal reason for the Newtown shootings.

cmypay, I'd like to see some reference made to the 1972 law that you allude to. Ultimately, I believe that a competent parent -- and there's no indication I've read anywhere that suggests that Nancy Lanza was not competent -- is singularly responsible for her child. Not the education system. Far too often we hear of horror stories that an overzealous, but "well-meaning" CPS employee gets a bee in her bonnet and goes after a perceived parental nutjob. Now we've got a Big Brother situation -- government is gonna make everything all right.

Now, I'll say that if a parent reaches out for help due to report like what the Yale doctor offered, the system should be prepared, ready, willing, and able to help that parent. Again, I've heard horror stories (and know of several examples) where a parent was literally at the end of her rope and could not get adequate legal help to control the behavior of her child.

I disagree, Eupher.

Adam Lanza was mentally ill, but he wasn't mentally incompetent. Even if Nancy Lanza had been able to institutionalize her son while he was a juvenile, he would have been emancipated when he turned 18. The state had, and has, no power to compel a mentally competent adult with no criminal history to take medications or obtain treatment.