The Way We Treat Them

I’ve been thinking a lot about a book I read recently by J. A. Crowe, an educator with years of experience with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) populations. His analysis of school shooters in The Fatal Link is anecdotal, but I found it compelling. What he concludes is that the overwhelming majority of school shooters fit the profile for fetal alcohol brain damage.

It’s true, people with FASD lack executive functioning--the ability to tell right from wrong, understanding of consequences, and impulse control. But having FASD does not make a person a killer. In fact, I believe their problems are exacerbated by the way we treat them, especially the majority who are undiagnosed. Those affected are often frustrated and angry, after years of blame and shame for failing to meet normal expectations.

When Sandy was growing up, no one knew people could have the brain damage of fetal alcohol exposure without the external physical signs. No one knew evidence of the condition could be revealed in behavior. But Sandy, like most with FASD, acted haphazardly. She had terrible judgment and never looked before she leapt. Her motivation was always a version of, “because I wanted to.” Eventually she gravitated toward the disaffected. “I try to be bad,” she said. She had come to believe it was the only thing she could be good at. When caught in the moment, she was at the mercy of her impulses. I still wonder whether, as she took her own life, she truly understood what she was doing.

FASD does not cause people to shoot others, but our societal reaction to this disability can make a huge difference for better or for worse. Focusing on prevention, identification, and early, continuing intervention for FASD is vital not only for those affected, but because FASD affects us all.