Other posts removed for being too short and insubstantial: SandraDodd.com/deleted

Post removed

I removed the following post midnightish March 28/29, 2016 for being unreadably long, unbroken, negative and off topic. I saved it so I could offer it to the dad with the original question, about a depressed 18-year-old unschooled boy.

It's also worth saving as a bad example (to see, if not to read) about how a post can be unusable when it's not broken into paragraphs. Facebook should really have made it easier, but to make a space between paragraphs, use shift/return (shift/enter).

People without the ability or desire to break their writing into paragraphs should not post anything longer than about 50 words. Those who admit they aren't radical unschoolers should never respond to questions there, ever, and certainly not with 800+ words.

The deleted post:

In relation to the comments about food, I know first hand that people can heal depression /anxiety with food and learned a lot about it. Enough to know I should never judge or advise anyone about food. And I think it's dangerous to downplay the role food plays in mental health or discourage someone from using food in a controlled way for a health outcome because it doesn't fit with radical unschool views. I suggest the poster look up Dr Kelly Brogan who is a wholistic psychiatrist and the MINDD foundation. Both of those sources can cite very solid peer reviewed very recent emerging research. I agree with the comment that we can make things worse. I'll give you an example to demonstrate the complexity: people with a certain mthfr gene mutation that's active can react adversely to folic acid which is in MANY of our foods including bread and something as simple as that can muck up the entire methylation process in the body including causing mental health issues so one mans food is another mans poison and it's dangerous to make judgments about what individuals need. Another example is zinc. Most people with mental illness are low in zinc so do you just go hit high dose zinc? No. Whilst you can be low in zinc which is causing mental health issues, taking high doses can cause a toxic dump of copper in your system and cause a remarkable INCREASE in mental health problems. Please. Be very careful about criticising food control or not acknowledging the motification of food and how that affects metal health. This is the reason why whilst I feel very aligned with unschooling I will never be a radical unschooler because the advice I've read re the radical unschooler approach on food is for some people dangerous, alienating and just medically incorrect. Please let the poster know also that antidepressants can cause well known side effects including increases in depression or anxiety and the reasons are far too complex for a post in a radical unschool group. Whilst it does feel wonderful having freedom to eat whatever we want as comfort food it may not always lead to a positive outcome past the initial feeling of freedom to eat what tastes and feels good. Some days I just do that because I'm tired or stressed and the value of letting lose and eating freely is so high because I need to "take a break" from the food prep or control but whilst it gives me instant relief I always suffer later and that's an educated risk I choose to make and I teach my child about those educated risks too but to promote free reign if you have a mental health or physical health issue that is affected by food (and it IS) is just negligent. So how does this relate to radical unschooling? I'd suggest if you're treating a teenager with depression you should not follow a radical unschool approach to food. Whilst other areas of Radical unschooling may be beneficial (which is why i liked this page) in this situation in the food context I'd seek info elsewhere. Sorry Sandra I understand you wouldn't want me to post this but I'm not speaking as a well informed radical unschooler educating people on radical unschooling, I'm not qualified to do that but in this case it would be wrong of me to stay silent. No disrespect intended, but I'm recommending the poster seek wider advice in regards to food and mental health because following the radical unschooler food approach could cause someone to have deeper mental health issues and I'm not willing to ignore that without attempting to offer a counter opinion. I'm happy to leave the page if this is breaking the rules. It's a risk I'm willing to take because a depressed teenager could turn in to a suicidal one and as a member of a global community it's my responsibility to do whatever I can to prevent that regardless of how unpopular that makes me. My comments were sparked by reading the food comments along with all the other past comments and advice I've read about food in a radical unschool context so if it's seems like it's out of context or too much too strong then you know why because if the poster has asked this question I'm going to assume they've not just joined this page today and may have read all the food related radical unschool advice too. Please accept my apologies if this breaks the rules. As radical unschoolers you might all understand what it feels like when you know you just must go against the tribe/villiage/crowd on a matter even if it means your unpopular or removed. That's likely how you became radical unschoolers. And rightfully so.

My response to the post is here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/303347574750/permalink/10154687371544751/?comment_id=10154688633669751&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D

Years later, decided...
I'll go ahead and quote my commentary because some people can't get to facebook now, and it could someday be unavailable. If you can get there, it might be better to see it in context; there are some other comments, too.

Sandra:

-=- Sorry Sandra I understand you wouldn't want me to post this but I'm not speaking as a well informed radical unschooler educating people on radical unschooling, I'm not qualified to do that but in this case it would be wrong of me to stay silent.-=-
No, it would be RIGHT to be silent if you're not an experienced radical unschooler.
This is not ANYone's sole source of information, but it is one of the best sources of unschooling input, and the person who wrote DID want unschoolers to respond.
I'm deleting the way-too-long post. I will save it aside without the name of its author.
I looked back at two prior posts by the same person. DENSE long blocks of text without space. To space on facebook, use shift/return. If you're not able to break a post up into paragraphs, don't make long posts.
And if it's not about unschooling from an unschooling point-of-view, don't post. There are other places to read other things.
Summary: mthfr gene mutation, zinc, "I will never be a radical unschooler because the advice I've read re the radical unschooler approach on food is for some people dangerous, alienating and just medically incorrect," anti-depressants have side effects, responsibility as member of global community to speak out to prevent suicide.

Sandra:

Word counted the post I deleted at 802 words, all one paragraph. It wasn't easy to read. It wasn't about unschooling (except to criticize it).
I'll save it in a document, and send the link to the person who originally asked, so the writing will not have been totally lost.

Clare Kirkpatrick (a group admin):

I wonder why this person is in a group about radical unschooling if she is so against it!

Sandra:

Food is a religion with some people, and indignation is a habit with some people. Being angry and expressing it seems to be an addiction. People feel entitled or driven to express their opinions even when they know it's unwelcome.
I was originally planning to put that post in a file in this group, but then there would be an announcement, and that would be irritating. I'm putting it here. Still working on format, but i wanted to have it where I could offer it to the parent in question, and others might be curious about why it was deleted.
(linked to this page)
This is a pain in the ass, and I wish people would follow the group guidelines, or maybe that I could bring myself to just delete without notice when people don't cooperate, and ban anyone who complains. But I always hope that they'll get it if they hang around a while and read more. Many have come in harsh, and softened.

I wanted to give people a chance to express their shock and indignation, to read the responses, and to take a while to reconsider. Few people came to unschooling without some shock and recovery. Some people, though, don't want to unschool. They want a large audience for their own ideas.

What the site has had for years about food