O.D.D.

Coercion is force.  Coercion is making someone do something they do not want to do.  Coercion does not provide real choices.  Coercion is restrictive, confining, and limiting.  Coercion fosters unhealthy competition.  Coercion, in short, is the legal and socially accepted form of bullying, browbeating, intimidation, and oppression. 
 
Defiance and rebellion are the direct results of coercion.  When you remove a child from the compulsory, controlling, and constraining environment, the oppositional behavior (usually) disappears, as well.
 
Labels, quite simply, are a manifestation of the system. 
 
I am still so incredibly angry, discouraged, and profoundly sad after listening to such excruciatingly, disturbing, and heartbreaking stories this past week, from families with perfectly "normal" children, who have gone through hell, that I am curbing myself to this explicit, bare-bones response, instead of recounting them all here.
 
To put it as succinctly as possible - we are obligated to do better! All of our brilliantly, beautiful, unique children deserve a safe educational environment, where they will be heard, trusted, and celebrated before they become another diagnosed casualty of societal tradition. 
 
Until that happens, please know, Deep Root Center is here for any family (child) who needs us. 

DRC News

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Water, Woods, & Wild Wonders
We spent our first full Water, Woods adventure at our home-base on Bonno Rd this past Tuesday exploring the woods, building a stick house, and deciding what resources we need to make this old cabin comfortable and functional.  Remember - this program is now open to homeschool families.  You can learn more here.

Property
We had to hold off on closing on our new facility at 48 Riverside Dr. for circumstances outside our control.  We are hoping to get the “green-light” within the next week.  Once we close, we will be seeking help with a few repairs that need to be completed before the kids can be there full time. And, we will be asking for assistance to move everything in.  We are planning to host an Open House/ Halloween/Thank You Party at the end of October to celebrate this major accomplishment.