YOUR HONOR, TODAY I SPEAK AS A CONCERNED LOVING PARENT... Posted by:Lloyd Woodward--Sunday, May 05, 2013

SPECIAL COMMENT:

"Wow did this letter bring back painful memories...almost 6 years ago that I wrote this....Lloyd you posted it on Mothers Day and I can remember spending a mothers day with you at Schumann and you talking to my son and drug testing him. Then you gave me a mothers day gift...some free drug tests for at home. Which we did use and now all these years later I am happy to say my son came over on mothers day with a beautiful card and mulched our entire yard in the cold and rain/hail. I know it wouldn't be like this if not for all your,Kathies' and PSST help. For that I am truly grateful! Never give up or lose HOPE... Debby

May 14, 2013 at 8:43:00 PM EST"


This letter was read to one of our Juvenile Court Judges recently by a PSST mother. We also borrowed this scenario at a PSST meeting for a courtroom role-play. Much thanks to the brave parents who granted permission for this letter to be posted. Both parents were present and gave testimony at the hearing.

Apparently, the hearing took quite a while for the Judge to sort out and the teenager's Public Defender argued for a less restrictive disposition. However, the Judge in the case ordered inpatient treatment and he directly confronted the teenager about the seriousness of his drug problem. Below is the actual letter. Only the teenager's name has been changed and the name of a drug treatment program has been deleted.


YOUR HONOR, TODAY I SPEAK AS A CONCERNED LOVING PARENT, NOT A DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROFESSIONAL. AS I PERCEIVE THE SITUATION THERE ARE TWO JARRED’S IN THIS COURTROOM-THE JARRED BEFORE DRUGS AND THE JARRED THAT HAS BECOME A CHRONIC MARIJUANA USER.

THE JARRED BEFORE DRUGS WAS AN A-B STUDENT, PLAYED SPORTS, WAS TRUSTWORTHY, INTERACTED WITH OUR FAMILY AND MADE US LAUGH. ONCE THE CHEMICAL TOOK HOLD OF JARRED-WE SEE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHILD. ONE WHO BEGINS TO FAIL SCHOOL, ONE WHO REQUIRES APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES TO BE AWAKENED IN THE MORNING THAT LEADS TO JARRED YELLING AND SCREAMING, KICKING AND FIGHTING WITH US. WE NOW RECEIVE NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS AND LETTERS FROM THE SCHOOL INFORMING US THAT JARRED’S GRADES ARE FALLING AND EVEN THOUGH HE IS IN SCHOOL HE IS CONSTANTLY LATE FOR HIS FIRST PERIOD CLASS. HE IS ALSO SLEEPING IN CLASS AND BEING REQUIRED TO ATTEND MULTIPLE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAMS AND IN- SCHOOL DETENTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS. HE DOESN’T PLAY ANY SPORTS AND REALLY SHOWS NO INTEREST IN ANY ACTIVITIES. HE VERBALLY ABUSES US, LIES TO US AND STEALS FROM US. HE CERTAINLY WANTS ALMOST NO INTERACTION WITH OUR FAMILY. WE ARE SO SAD NOW AND TRY TO HELP HIM WITH 2 OUTPATIENT PROGRAMS, 2 INPATIENT PROGRAMS, 4 DRUG AND ALCOHOL THERAPISTS, A PSYCHIATRIST, AN ICM AND CACTIS.

DESPITE ALL THAT WE ENDED UP HERE!

WE DO NOT FEEL JARRED IS A CRIMINAL OR A BAD KID. HE HAS JUST MADE SOME POOR CHOICES AND NEEDS SOME DIRECTION TO THE RIGHT PATH. WHATEVER IS DECIDED TODAY IS OUT OF OUR HANDS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE SENDING JARRED TO THE [name of facillity deleted] INPATIENT FACILITY, SINCE THE LAST TIME HE WAS THERE HE ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL DUE TO GETTING POSSESSION OF A RAZOR BLADE AND TRYING TO TATTOO HIS UPPER ARM-WE FEEL THAT THE SUPERVISION WAS INADEQUATE.

WE MISS THE OLD JARRED AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HIM BACK, BUT THROUGH THIS CRAZY JOURNEY WITH HIM WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE ULTIMATE CHOICE IS UP TO HIM-NO MATTER WHAT IS DECIDED TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!

Originally Posted by:Lloyd Woodward -- Friday, September 07, 2007 (note: I just realized that there are more comments to this post from another point in the blog where we reran it. Click here to see those comments and another letter to the judge from a PSST parent.)


(Courtroom drawing by student artist and mock trial attorney Hunter Wallraff, Pacific Collegiate -it does not appear to be copywright protected.)