Dear (teacher),

      Thank you for sending me the syllabus for the health class. I would like for my daughter to NOT participate in the Week 3-7 Unit 2: Mental and Emotional Health. The reason is that we believe the human person is a body, soul, mind unity. Our approach to the nature of the human person is mystical. Arbitrarily taking out “emotion” and “mental illness” seems like it can lead to many unhealthy ways of looking at the self.

The vast majority of cultures throughout history and throughout the world had a holistic view of the human person. The spiritual could not be segregated from the physical. What constitutes “mental illness” changes and is faddish. A person today may be labeled as having OCD and be given powerful mind altering drugs. In other cultures they might have been recognized as shamans who perform important rituals for their people.

I have a child at (the high school) as well. From what she tells me and from what my middle schooler tells me, kids today are struggling. So, frankly, what American society is teaching kids concerning life is not working. In our family we prefer a spiritual mystical approach to life.

Scientifically, spiritual people live longer and healthier lives as well. (There are many studies you can find with a simple Google search.)

Please let me know if there are alternative assignments my daughter can do to fulfill the requirements of the course during this week. And please let me know if it is possible for her to go to a study hall during that class for those weeks.

Many thanks,

Laura Serna