UPDATED: Here are links to the video from the program:
- Three Teen Suicides Rock Newton
- Removing the Suicide Taboo
- J.C. Visits her Alma Mater — for the Wrong Reasons
- Know Warning Signs for Suicide
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Newton native JC Monahan, host of Channel 5’s Chronicle returns to her alma mater, Newton South, in search of answers to Newton’s recent spate of teen suicides. The program airs tonight (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
There is no singular reason why a depressed teen may commit suicide. This is an extraordinarily complex issue that I don’t pretend to understand. But what is clear, is that sleep deprivation contributes to depression in teens. That’s not my opinion, it’s a fact. With the link between sleep deprivation and teen depression established, it is inexcusable that the School Committee has failed to change the 7:30am start time at Newton’s high schools. This is as clear a dereliction of duty as I have ever seen from public officials.
@Mike Striar,
I admire your passion on the issue of sleep deprivation. I agree with you that it is one piece of a complicated puzzle. Another contributing factor comes, I believe, from the difficulty of finding appropriate mental health services for teenagers. For kids who are in crisis and need in-patient treatment, beds are few and difficult to find. Child psychiatrists are a rare commodity and even if one is lucky enough to locate such a physician who is accepting patients, they are unlikely to provide any form of talk therapy. Thus, parents have to coordinate psychiatric treatment which is mostly relegated to dispensing medications, with talk therapy from another provider. Riverside has a wonderful psychiatric day program for teenagers but the program is very small, has a long waiting list and to obtain those services one must be approved by the Comm. of Mass. Once the crisis passes, the next issue becomes where to support the child so that they can continue their education in a supportive environment. There are programs (in district and private schools) which service children with emotional difficulties but these programs also typically simultaneously serve kids with severe behavioral issues. Central High school, Newton’s third high school, is a prime example of placing kids with behavioral issues (e.g. involvement with the juvenile justice system, truancy, teen pregnancy) with kids diagnosed with psychiatric conditions. If I may paraphrase the director of one program which refuses to do this, this is a disaster because the behaviorally disordered kids trigger kids with anxiety issues.
It’s not enough to identify kids who are struggling and at risk if help is not available.
I think that the Chronicle show will be on at 7:30pm (not 7pm).
I am coming to this late. Missed Chronicle. My take is that I can’t really fathom what insights perky weather girl JC will bring to a deep and deeply disturbing issue other than exploiting her ties to NSHS for personal gain. Did I have to be the one to say it?
I don’t know, but I wish you hadn’t. While I worry the media is bringing unwanted attention to some of the families, I don’t see the benefit of making unjustified remarks like that. Jen attended South at a time of tragedy also, and I thought she did a fine job.
It wasn’t a bad show, actually. And much as I detest the annoying local commercial news programs with their mattress and car advertisements, writing her off as a self-promoting weather girl seems to have a sprinkle of sexism. But I’m just a guy, so perhaps I shouldn’t be making such evaluations.
Fun fact: Ed Harding, anchorman from the same channel, was the longtime sports boy! But then they gave him a pair of glasses and voilà, crédibilité! You can do that with dudes I guess.
I missed the program as well but I’m guessing it will eventually be posted online. (I could not find it this morning, although this preview is on their Facebook page) Whoever finds it first please share a link.
@Karen: Your comment sounds catty at best. I think Monahan has made a credible transition from weather caster to Chronicle host. (Not that being a meteorologist inn New England is light lifting.) I had a chance to work with her last year on a Chamber event. She was a total professional with far more depth, integrity and passion for Newton than you’re suggesting.
On top of that, teen suicide is a problem and an issue that we need to remain focused on. We should be grateful that WCVB and Chronicle for choosing to do so.
I missed the first couple of minutes, but the rest of the episode was very powerful. It was NOT one of those fluff interview style things with frequent reaction shots of the interviewer nodding and looking concerned; as far as I remember, the hosts only appeared on screen at the anchor desk between segments. There were the requisite background and informational parts with the folks from Riverside and Dr Swick from NWH, but the main focus was on interviews with Leila McCain and some students from NSHS, who were amazing, as well as information on what Newton and NPS are doing in response.
The program itself was actually informative and well-researched. If you are familiar with the story, then it did spend a bit too much time trodding over largely the same ground that had already been well-covered by the Globe. Then there are the annoying practices of TV news (repeated shots of teen shoes in the hallway, foreshadowing, um, something…?) And despite being hyped as such, the fact that a South alum returned there did not actually factor into the story.
However, the program was at its best when it deviated from Globe coverage (which, in fairness, may not be known to those not following the story). For example, it was nice to have focus on the McCain family’s “Get Real” effort. The insights from the Riverside personnel were excellent. It was compelling to hear Fleischman and Swick address the “school stress” component. (Swick said, in effect, it reflects a positive element in terms of student, family and community engagement).
However, the show just scratched the surface on what might be the most fruitful information for a Newton audience: the Needham experience. As Needham has already endured and responded to a suicide cluster, it offers some valuable insights into how a community can constructively respond to this type of tragedy. If there is going to be any constructive discussion on this subject going forward, the Needham experience would be a great place to start.
I thought it was well done. Thoughtful and sincere in its efforts to bring light to the gravity of the situation and offered insights from some of our administrative leaders.
@Bill – I completely agree on the Needham experience as a model. The insights some of those kids shared on the program were valuable and should be considered in the conversation for Newton. The problem with a show like this, is that it only has the time to scratch the surface. On the positive side, it continues the conversation and offered up some good thinking.
Here’s a link to the segment from last night.
@Mike Striar and others. Al Jazeera America had an extensive segment this morning on an exhaustive study out of Minnesota about the adverse effects of early school start times on a host of physical, emotional and behavioral problems. The study involved several thousand Minnesota students and there were no significant differences regarding economic, racial and ethnic factors. They pretty well agree with Mike’s argument that kids need at least 8 hours of sleep, but they do seem to have different biological clocks than adults do. These don’t turn off at night until about 11 PM , so every morning they get up at 6 AM translates into at least one hour lost. This was broadcast on Al Jazeera’s “Consider This” program and I’m almost certain that at least portions will be available to watch on their website. One of many detailed and credible investigative reports that Al Jazeera America does.
Turns out that was only the first of four segments to the program. I won’t be able to add the other links until tomorrow but if someone else can, please do.
Finally had a chance to watch it, I’d say J.C. Monahan was anything but “perky“