Ms McNamara’s Alcohol Problem

In the case of Ms. McNamara, she is a great advocate for her students. Though her coworkers knew outside of work she had a drinking problem and were afraid to bring it to anyone’s attention. This is her addiction, she was an alcoholic. She used her very loud and demanding demeanor to get exactly what she wanted as a well-known special education teacher.

There were three factors in the way she acted. First, she was well known in the special education society, making her a very sought-after teacher. Second, her co-workers were afraid to go against anything that she said. Third, she was successful in getting the administration to bow to her will. (Roth & Finch, 2010) Her principal eventually banned her from staff meetings because of her behavior. Though she was smarter than them and got all of the parents to back her and they had to back down. Leading to the principal taking a new job at another school.

I feel as if she has to much input in everything that is done. Yes, she is a wonderful advocate for her students. Though she uses her relationships with her parents to get what she wants though school. The other teachers in her school are afraid to tell her how they feel, as far as being talked down to during meetings.

Mr. Williams seems as if he wants what is best for his school and students. Though he is super controlling. He has wonderful relationships with he parents but allows them too much freedom in school. They are able to come and go as they please without checking in to make sure it is ok. He also treats his staff differently, if you aren't on his good side, it isn't a good thing.

He has multiple addictive behaviors. A man of two hundred and fifty pounds, Mr. Williams’s addiction of choice was food and compulsive overeating and workaholism. (Roth & Finch, 2010) He cooks wonderful dishes for his staff. Though this will lead to others possibly becoming heavy and having an eating problem. He also is very OCD and comes to work when there isn't any school. He held his faculty and staff to high standards, which many regarded as beyond reason, such as his penchant for expecting non-tenured teachers to work beyond the hours stipulated in the Grand Prairie Board of Education and Teacher Association Agreement. (Roth & Finch, 2010)

I feel that if he wasn’t so particular about how things should be done, he would have a better relationship with his staff. If he chose to put his staff first and didn’t let the parents walk all of him and the school, his staff would respect him more. He shouldn’t push his OCD onto his staff, he should appreciate each of his staff’s workflow as long as it abides by the county’s rules and regulations.

Mr. Carson was an alcoholic with hand tremors and high blood pressure from it. Though he had his addiction, his school also had a problem with drugs and alcohol. Carson’s problems with alcohol colored his approach to students struggling with addiction. (Roth & Finch, 2010) When a student had issues with addiction, he would suggest they were sent to rehab. Though when returning to school he would have them placed in special education.

I feel that without saying it out loud he was ashamed of who he was as a person. He took it out on his students with the same problem. He had his staff do things that were not necessarily the right thing to do but I feel and if he felt returning students were not suited for regular classes and all he had to offer was special education. Which was not the right place for those students either. I am surprised no one ever confronted him about his addiction or how he treated those students returning from rehab.

Reading the transcript was very interesting and gave me a lot of insight into a meeting. I am not sure I feel it is sufficient. There is something about being able to see others' expressions and see their emotions while talking. Thought for this group of individuals, this might be what works best for them. This is their journey, not mine. Though one individual stated that they would go to first-time meetings, just to remind himself he is powerless over drugs and alcohol.

Like I stated before I find the online chat room not personable. I feel that if you want to stay sober, sometimes it is good to see that raw emotion. Maybe as a reminder that you don’t want those things to take over your life again. Though there are individuals that might get shy and not want to share in person but are able to pour their heart and soul out online.

The first step outlined is that events that happen in our childhood can affect our adulthood. Second, that anything in our lives can become an addiction, it doesn’t have to be drugs and alcohol. Third, they feel it is not true that youth learn from youth. Fourth, I feel is saying that schools will just brush addiction under the carpet, not pay attention to the effect it has on youth. Lastly, it is felt that they only hope for children that are addicted, could thrive in an alternative school.

The first step I do feel is true, a lot of what happens in our younger years will carry into adulthood. I can still remember things that happened to me. The second is most definitely true, youth can be addicted to food, electronics and be obsessed over the school. Making life very difficult to travel through if they are always thinking about one thing and obsessing over it. I feel the third is not true. Youth definitely learn from youth. How else do they learn about drugs and alcohol? Most likely it will come from hanging out with friends and peers. The fourth I feel untrue also, as time goes on schools are becoming more aware of addiction and finding more ways to help our youth steer clear or get help. Lastly, I think alternative schools for those who struggle are wonderful and would help individuals be with others with similar addictions or problems.

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