Missing Jason: The Story of a Kidnapping and the Aftermath
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Authors
Robb, Paul
Issue Date
2023
Type
Article
Language
en
Keywords
case study , childhood trauma , trauma-informed schools. , child kidnapping , undiagnosed complex trauma , emotional dysregulation , social dysregulation
Alternative Title
Abstract
One Monday morning in 1984, the school principal entered my classroom with a smile and whispered to me, "Jason is a missing child!" Her odd cheerfulness about this news confused me. Every student was present, including Jason, a boy who struggled with his emotions. His desk butted against mine, allowing him to receive extra support with academics and social skills. As the principal explained the circumstances swirling around the nine-year-old boy seated at the front, I had no idea of the depth of the story beginning to unfold. It would be weeks before I understood the immediate implications for Jason and his family, but decades would go by before I learned of the full dimension of Jason's experience and the significance of my role as his teacher. This case study is my effort, along with Jason's, to shed light on a story of undiagnosed and untreated complex trauma, as well as emotional and social dysregulation. Together, we further illuminate childhood trauma and its impact, resiliency, and the need for trauma-informed schools. What follows proceeds from my memory, readings, personal reflections, and from conversations with Jason.
Description
Citation
Publisher
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
openAccess
openAccess