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more reasonable to think about policy that allows adults to seek time 
away for personal, health-related reasons; to have access to choices 
about how to address their issues without losing a spot in a learning 
program."

It is a revelation to me that adults can "lose their spot" in a learning
program.  Does this mean some programs have policies that kick adults out
due to absences?  If so, maybe it is the absence of a policy that is
necessary!  I can't imagine running an adult ed program without open
enrollment.  What's going on?

Deborah W. Yoho
Co-moderator, NIFL-Health Listserv
President, SC Adult Literacy Educators
Executive Director, Greater Columbia Literacy Council
2728 Devine Street,  Columbia, SC  29205
803-765-2555   Fax  803-779-8417   dwyoho at earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Janet Isserlis <Janet_Isserlis at Brown.edu>
> To: <nla at lists.literacytent.org>
> Date: 1/20/2003 9:33:30 AM
> Subject: Re: [NLA] Discussion: Policy or Legal Challenges on behalf
ofAdult Learners  with Trauma
>
> David, Nancy and all,
>
> First - thanks, the pushing us to consider the policy implications of 
> the questions of working with adult learners who have experienced (or 
> are experiencing) trauma of one sort of another.
>
> These learners (and colleagues) are not only those participating in 
> basic level classes -- there are men and women who have experienced 
> political, personal trauma in their countries of origin, in the 
> immigration process, in daily fear of abusers  --  some of these men 
> and women are participants in adult education classes and programs.
>
> It's important to stress that knowing *who* has experienced trauma is 
> not the issue so much as creating learning environments that are safe 
> for all involved.  This does not mean finding out who may be in need 
> of counselling, but making known that counselling services are 
> available in the community -- or at the learning site, when this is 
> the case.  Making known the availability of resources by leaving 
> brochures in common spaces, hanging posters that give information 
> about community resources (victims of crime hot line numbers, as well 
> as posters giving information about general health care, shelters for 
> women escaping domestic violence, etc) is part of helping adults see 
> the range of possibilities available to them.
>
> The policy issue is one that I think requires much thought.  I'm 
> aware of at least two programs in Providence that have re-thought 
> their policies about attendance requirements.  While not publicizing 
> their decisions broadly, they have made it known to their teachers 
> that if students have concerns (e.g. one woman afraid to leave a 
> child in the house when a potentially abusive relative was visiting) 
> , that teachers can tell students that if they have pressing family 
> matters, they can speak to their teachers about a need for an 
> extended absence without fear of losing their place in the program. 
> To "formalize" a program to allow women or men to ask for time out 
> because of trauma, per se creates other potential problems.  It seems 
> more reasonable to think about policy that allows adults to seek time 
> away for personal, health-related reasons; to have access to choices 
> about how to address their issues without losing a spot in a learning 
> program.  Some learners are able to stay in school; others need time 
> to stop out for a while.
>
> Other policy areas -- particularly WIA work requirements -- are 
> similarly tricky.  Many adults receiving government benefits do have 
> case workers -- sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.  There are 
> domestic violence waivers (so that an errant parent cannot trace 
> his/her spouse or partner) vis a vis child maintenance payments; 
> domestic violence, however, is not the only issue on the table.
>
> More germane to our work, I think , is finding ways to broadly frame 
> policy to accommodate both the needs and strengths of adults for whom 
> trauma is an issue -- by extending attendance policies, by helping 
> teachers know more about a broader range of teaching and learning 
> strategies, by learning, more, ourselves, about how people learn and 
> teach while dealing with issues of trauma in their lives.  Some 
> people view school as a respite from other ongoing issues they face; 
> for others, it's necessary to take some time away.  Each person deals 
> with stressors and trauma in her/his own way.
>
> Have a look at the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture's work 
> http://www.icomm.ca/ccvt/; consider that a program in Providence (and 
> other programs as well) have sought and received funding for the 
> services of a counsellor on site; please browse through some of the 
> resources at http://www.brown.edu/lrri/screen.html.
>
> I know many of us are working on this issue and I'm hopeful that in 
> raising a question of policy we may be able to move further (despite 
> the harsh economic outlook before us) to ensure that programs provide 
> access to learning for all who wish to seek it.
>
> Janet Isserlis
>
> >Nancy Hansen wrote me to raise a public policy question about 
> >support for learners who have been traumatized.  I wonder if anyone 
> >is aware of proposed or actual policy, or legal challenges, in the 
> >U.S. or elsewhere which address this issue.
>  
>
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