| We all understand that parents are responsible for | | | | professional educators, but don't necessarily have the |
| raising their children. We also recognize that teenagers | | | | background or skills to help troubled teens. Even those |
| are, in large measure, responsible for their own actions. | | | | who may have the talent or credentials to assist are |
| Nonetheless, it would be very helpful to many families if | | | | already stretched thin due to the rigors of their job. A |
| schools were capable of providing more assistance | | | | standard-issue public high school simply isn't set up to |
| and help to troubled teens. Much of a teenager's life is | | | | deal with troubled teenagers. It's not about faculties |
| spent in school and/or with his or her classmates. The | | | | and staffs who don't care, it's an almost inevitable |
| school environment is a key backdrop in their lives and | | | | structural limitation. |
| what happens there has a tremendous impact on their | | | | These inherent limitations are one reason why many |
| potential for progress. | | | | parents are looking toward therapeutic boarding |
| Unfortunately, most schools have difficulties supplying | | | | schools specifically designed with struggling teens in |
| necessary help to troubled teens. That isn't because | | | | mind. These schools are specifically designed to |
| they don't care or because they're not interested in the | | | | provide an encouraging, supportive environment and |
| well-being of their students. On the contrary, most | | | | are staffed with professionals who are skilled and |
| school systems would love to be part of a solution for | | | | accustomed with dealing the unique challenges |
| parents dealing with struggling teenagers. Not only do | | | | associated with their students. |
| they care about seeing individual students succeed, | | | | While it may not be reasonable to expect your child's |
| they also recognize the value of less disruptive and | | | | school to provide special help to troubled teens, there |
| more engaged students to the operation of their | | | | are alternatives. It may be possible to turn the school |
| schools. The problem is unrelated to desire or | | | | experience into something that can create a radical, |
| motivation. | | | | positive change in an at-risk teen's life. Parents of |
| The reason why regular schools often fail to provide | | | | struggling teens should carefully investigate and |
| meaningful help is structural. Faculty are trained as | | | | consider therapeutic boarding school options. |