TEENS: DO YOU FEEL THREATENED?

I am appalled to learn that the governmental organization "Teen Screen" is already "screening" teens for "mental illness", often surreptitiously and without the consent of their parents. Have you been victimized this way? That is to say, has anyone at your school asked you personal questions which have nothing to do with academic matters (i.e. those issues associated with your studies)? If so, you should refuse to answer them, and tell your parents at once. The purpose of such questions is not your welfare: it is to stigmatize you as mentally ill so that you can be subjected to dangerous drugs in order to increase profits to psychiatrists and drug companies. If you have problems, these drugs will make them worse; if you are not actually suffering from a mental illness you will be after you take them.

The fact is, "Teen Screen" is unconstitutional and so are its questions. You may think that as a minor, you have no rights. But in fact, in a few years you will be an adult. And that makes all the difference in the world. An agent of the federal government (and they can be disguised in many ways) who asks such questions as "Do you ever think of killing yourself?" or "Do you have problems at home?" or even, "How many times a week do you masturbate?" is acting unconstitionally, that is to say illegally. It is an entirely different matter than if your parents or therapist or religious counselor asks you such questions, because that is a private matter which will presumably be held in confidence. If an agent of the federal government asks you, your answer will be on your record for the rest of your life. And such information may affect you adversely. However qualified, you may be fired from your job because someone has learned that when you were merely 15, you were suicidal, or had problems at home, or masturbated three times a week! Yes really! It could be the end for you. FOR GOD'S SAKE NEVER ANSWER ANY SUCH QUESTIONS. Say that you have to ask your parents first, and try to get legal help. Yours could become a test case which will end this threat to all teens.

It may be some comfort to you to know that one of the most respected of Supreme Court Justices would be on your side. As long ago as 1890, future Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, along with a colleague, Samuel Warren, wrote an article in the Harvard Law Review entitled "The Right to Privacy" (Vol. IV, No. 5: it can be accessed on-line at http:groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.805/articles/privacy_brand_warr2.html)
In this essay, Brandeis says, "The common law secures to each individual the right of determining, ordinarily, to what extent his thoughts, sentiments, and emotions shall be communicated to others. Under our system of government, he can never be compelled to express them (except when on the witness stand), and even if he has chosen to give them expression, he generally retains the power to fix the amount of publicity that shall be given them." You can quote that to any "Teen Screen" interviewer who attempts to elicit information from you which has no relevance to your academic performance. If they say that you are still a minor and hence without rights, tell them that you will be an adult with full rights in a few years and there is no way that this inquisitor can guarantee you that the answers you give will not be kept on record and used against you for the rest of your life. If they try to reassure you that they will not be, do not trust them: as they do not themselves know if they will be or not, their reassurance must necessarily be a lie. In any case, as a soon-to-be adult, you have what Brandeis called "the right to be left alone" and you should avail yourself of it. It is my fondest wish that your parents will support you in this, but even if they do not, it is still your right to refuse. For God' sake, stand up for your rights! It is the most important thing you will ever do.