NY Times reports that Feds stopped SS $$

funds to families of youth labeled & drugged for "ADD & ADHD" disabilities.'

Under 5% of the current 2 million kids on Ritalin(tranquilizing) drugs who were branded "hyperactive, attention-deficit disorder(rebel) syndrome" by teachers & doctors, prescribed & sedated into chemical self-control' are cut off funds. For details of 'hyper' drugging programs see Peter Breggins expose' book "The War Against Children"('95), And They CAll it Help by Louise Armstrong & the Kids Lib News of children's liberation movement. The mostly poor children getting Ritalin-welfare are the more vital, emotional, abused, needy & sensitive students. They are stereotyped as "maladjusted, disturbed & manic, "sick in need" of mood-stabalizing tranquilizers to stop & prevent class disruptions. The educators ignore & deny how they stress students with competition in age-graded classes of white/anglo subjects training big business workers & consumers, who utterly avoid their current health needs & feelings.

A small movement of 1,000's of Ritalin damaged families of children are protesting the chemo-ritual sacrifice of children's emotions & instincts to play free, use free-will & self-led learning here now by curiosity. Home-education, private & alternative schools have given real attention to students, without demanding obediance & making rebels wrong, sick & drugged. Drugging 'hyper' students as immature, disabled & disturbing others, excuses incompetent school-teachers, parents & doctors from trusting & relating to children as real humans, likely abused (& neglected)by punishments. Our goal is to critically examine the causes & effects of conflicts in schools, to learn who's really responsible for solving learning problems here now & cooperate to include learners in important decision-making. We must end the psychological warfare, censorship, agism & anti-sexual sexism, to keep us all afraid of authority, acting normal uptite & obsessed with treats. How can we naturalize, localize & open up organic spaces & growing centers??.

How many 'hyper'(Lane Co.)kids will freak-out without their drugs to keep them numb, studying & in line? Attending day-jail schools behind prison-desks, in roles, stress & fear of touching, playing & honest emotions, we need to be to heal any past hurts.

100 local family activists meet to brainstorm & solve

the growing crises with youth's & family social ills.

Introducing ourselves quickly followed Jim's activist pep talk,

as he guided us to share identity & family concerns. Then we brain-

stormed the heavy issues & problems now stressing youth & families. He asked dozens of pointed questions to drag the truth out of us, to be written big on newprint by 2 recorders. This cooperative

brainstorm process is often used by community-activists to organize

people to solve & prevent local needs, conflicts & crises openly now.

After discribing the many family/kids troubles, Jim steered us into why now? the "underlying causes"(sources) of struggle & stress

we'd just expressed. We groped to describe the challenges, inadquacies & attacks now destroying our families & institutions.

It was an exciting discussion of polarities, problems & hope for some unifying solution to come later. Lastly we shared what & how-to solve the epidemic needs & difficulties. We'd just brainstormed about 200 ideas & potentials, fears, causes, effects, may a few goals & solutions in action & projects we initiate & manage. The meeting ended as many small discussions expanding our contacts.

The next phases are 3: to write up & condense down the vast brainstorm, copy & distribute a coherant report to concerned people soon & at the next meeting Sept.9, 7pm, at Friends MH, 22nd & Onyx. We are open to local family resource activists coming to share energy. Will we agree on a unifying community service project? in what form? that will directly involve, serve & fill certain deep needs of youth & families not being met now by the many agencies, schools & businesses.

Will we build enuf trust, caring, bonding & responsibility to expose our pains & fears? working thru it with our total attention by cooperating together?! Its an all volunteer effort, democratic in spirit, we design, research, organize & serve real needs in simple natural & even tribal ways of peace at home & neighborhood spaces. We need more resources to help families feel real trust now, where competition ruled the groups by codes & rules, we make our rules by conscious &or flexable agreements.