MMCM: March was 'Mentally Challenged Month'

March is Mentally Challenged Month. You would expect people to write a story about ways to help the local state schools and other programs that are active in this area. And, indeed, there was a story in our local paper, Herald Democrat, Sherman/Denison, Texas, on 3-12-09, informing the public of this special month.

Unfortunately, there was another article in the Herald Democrat on 3-12-09, alleging abuse of mentally disabled residents at one of the state run schools in Corpus Christi. Eleven staff members were caught on cell phone tapings of hosting a fight club starring the residents of this state run hospital/school. If you have ever had the wonderful opportunity to spend anytime, however brief, with someone with mentally impaired functions; you know that they are the most kind and sweet natured people in the world. There are some exceptions, but the majority is as far from any physical aggression as a newborn baby, and many of those that have some aggression tend to direct it onto themselves, not other people. So, for these supposed caretakers to subject them to forced, coerced, and guided violence toward each other is appalling.

The other staff and management claim that they were unaware that these employee transgressions were going on. Let's be realistic, there is no way that they could be totally unaware that this cruel behavior was going on. They had to at least have some suspicions that they should have investigated. Whether they were fearful of losing their job or just plain didn't care is a moot point now, but they are as guilty as the actual employee participants. The authorities prepared an arrest warrant for some of the eleven identified staff members. They've got to be kidding. These people participated in a morally hideous crime of humiliation, loss of dignity, and indirectly, caused physical and mental damage purposefully to these residents and they only arrested some of them.

Here's what the Department of Aging and Disability Services had to say. The state suspended admissions to this particular school and increased supervision at all their thirteen schools. Seven workers that were in the cell phone videos were placed on emergency medical leave. In other words, those seven employees will possibly get an opportunity to come back to that facility or another to terrorize some more innocent, unsuspecting mentally challenged residents.Aside from the Fight Clubs they perpetrated, there has also been a report from a Justice Department that fifty-three percent of patients in this facility died in 2007 "from preventable conditions that were often the result of lapses' in care." And they're still under the same management and probably many of the same staff members. Texas Governor Rick Perry actually talked about the reforms needed in state run hospitals/schools. It was up to law makers to do something about it, but they just sat on their hands and ignored the governor's recommendations. At least one of the Department of Aging and Disability spokeswomen, Addie Horn, informed all state staff that the Corpus Christi school's activities were "unconscionable". An advocacy group in San Marcos, Community Now, expressed the need for this particular facility to be shut down. At least all the management and staff personnel that were there during this atrocity should be fired and barred from ever working with facilities for disabled and aging people. Then the whole structure could be started fresh.

These residents should not be subjected to being cared for by some of the same staff that assaulted them or allowed them to be assaulted in the first place.As a race, we are not perfect, but this the first time I have come across something as morally wrong as forcing mentally retarded individuals to assault each other for people with normal mental functions to enjoy. I know there's more of such abuse present, but I am thankful that the majority of the public accept these mentally disadvantaged people in our cities, stores, and public schools. There is less bad behavior towards them now, compared to just 15 years ago. Locally, we have about 3-6 mentally retarded people currently working in our grocery stores. The public schools have 20-50 children and teenagers with mental disabilities attending, and they are treated with friendliness, kindness, and good humor for the most part. Remember to smile when you see somebody that is mentally challenged and you'll probably be rewarded with amazingly innocent and giving social skills.