The following image is from health class at Grand Haven High School. Health is a class required by the state of Michigan for graduation, and much of the curriculum for health class is determined by the State. Teachers have little to say about the materials they are required to use at the high school level due to “curriculum alignment.” It’s difficult to imagine it would even be possible to undermine both the 2nd Amendment and one of our nation’s most respected presidents in a lesson related to health, but that is exactly what has been done.
You may have read this passage and thought, what’s the big deal? This is one small lesson and the goal after all is to save lives. Quoting from the page “By making suicide hard, thousands of lives can be saved.” Reading this, I can only think, “Two weeks to slow the spread,” and Dr. Fauci and Justin Trudeau saying “Wearing a mask is about keeping people safe.” This lesson sounds like it was written by the same speech writers. What is the real goal of this lesson on suicide prevention?
I would argue that it is not about preventing suicide at all, but instead is a subtle attempt to undermine one of our constitutional rights. Suicide is an idea one comes to when they "feel" there is no better option. Teaching kids about "suicide safety measures" only creates guilt if someone they know does commit suicide. Teaching kids personal ownership, accountability, morality, and dealing with clinical depression in a medical setting, would be much more effective at preventing suicide. How about giving our kids inspiration to LIVE!
The following quote is from a local suicide survivor who grew up in a broken home that included violence, drug and alcohol abuse. “What I will tell you today is that I have a sound mind. I have relit my spirit through hard work. Hard internal work. I chose life. No one is or can make that choice for someone.”
Nobody wants people to commit suicide. This passage is phrased in such a way that if you are opposed to the message you look like a horrible unempathetic person that could care less if people commit suicide. That is false. This passage teaches us that it is acceptable to take away guns, ropes, car keys, knives, poisons and medications from people if we believe it will ultimately help them. Isn’t this just like taking away our right to attend church, or shop at a local store, or visit with friends, because it will keep the virus from spreading? The real purpose of this passage is to make the youth comfortable with the idea that it is acceptable for your rights to be taken away under the guise it may ultimately help you, and it is acceptable to take away the rights of others if it will ultimately help them.
Let’s look at another sentence in this passage. “Our to-be president of the United States agreed he was not safe with a weapon.” What is the purpose of this sentence? Again, it reinforces the idea that safety must be delegated to an authority. Even a future president wasn’t capable of keeping himself safe. In addition, this sentence makes students question one of the most powerful leaders of the free world. If Abraham Lincoln wasn’t “safe with a weapon” who is? And if Abraham Lincoln was that unstable, how did he lead the country? What other mistakes did this man make? It undermines our shared history and weakens us as a nation.
At the end of the day the school’s job is to educate children to be productive members of society. Being a productive member of society starts with knowing how to think. Knowing how to take ownership and responsibility for oneself and actions.
That passage is not really about suicide prevention. It is about taking away freedom. It is about taking away one more link in the chain of freedom by planting a small seed in the minds of young people. Freedom doesn’t suddenly disappear. It happens slowly over time. It’s like a dog on a chain link leash that has one link removed every day until one day, the dog can barely reach its food or water. The dog never fights but slowly loses his freedom one chain link at a time.
Some of us have a very challenging road and others have it easy. In the end we all have to be responsible for ourselves. We all have to then lead and guide others to the truth. As a whole society we have put faith in all the wrong places. We need faith in God, ourselves, and our local communities. We are constantly bombarded with all sorts of lies, deceptions/manipulations to keep us from the truth. This passage is just one small sample of how this is happening.
We must voice our concerns to our public officials. We must speak at school board meetings and push back on the state. Michigan School Code 380.10 says “It is the natural, fundamental right of parents and legal guardians to determine and direct the care, teaching and education of their children.”
If you have children taking health or sex education class, Alliance 114 is a website filled with information for parents. It explains your rights as parents and covers what is being taught, how the curriculum is developed, and who are the sponsors. There is a form for Michigan parents you can print out and bring to your school regarding sex education.