The Emergence of

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The Emergence of Crazy Students in School
The Mad Students Society
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IDENTITY POLITICS

• Psycho-Political Identity possibilities
• Crazy
• Mentally Ill
• Lunatic
• Insane
• Mad
• Psychiatric Survivor
• Consumer
• Consumer/Survivor
• Psychiatric Disability
• Inmate

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MSS Collective
The Collective is responsible for the Advocacy
efforts of MSS
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The Mad Students Society

• Organized for and run by students who have
  experienced the psychiatric system
• Works to empower, support and mobilize students
  who are currently or may in the future experience
  the psychiatric system.
• We support each other, share similar experiences,
  learn about our history as a community
• Identify barriers in the education system and
  address systemic discrimination.
• The MSS holds monthly peer support meetings.
  Advocacy issues are taken up by the MSS
  Collective.
• Mad student is an alternative to bio-medical
  perspectives on emotional crisis.
• Mad Students Society stems from self-advocacy
  that has its roots in the history of the
  Psychiatric Survivor movement.

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Past Prejudices

• Back then, there was nowhere to turn to for
  support within the school system so I eventually
  looked outside the university to other
  psychiatric survivors beginning in 1990, the same
  year I went "public" as a PhD student. Before
  then I kept it to myself with most people but
  started speaking out more after becoming
  active.... I remember both professors and
  students making the most disparaging comments
  about people with a psychiatric history during
  this period and that includes people on both the
  left and right, and including in the Tas in the
  union so it cut across political lines. I also
  remember references from both teachers and
  students to people who were "defectives and
  another prof referred to "squirrely" students.

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Current Prejudices

• During our talk, or better to say discussion, I
  was told that given how I felt sometimes,
  (meaning sick, depressed, crazy, and need
  ongoing counseling) and given I am an
  international student, (meaning I am not eligible
  for the social/health services provided to
  Canadian citizens) I shouldnt waste my time
  and money! Was I really fit and prepared to
  be here? (meaning in the university and the
  graduate school). Could I really handle the
  requirements of my degree program? (maybe I
  should consider going back to my country?)

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Current Issues

• Accommodations
• Rights advice in privatized Institutions
• Class room discussions
• Curriculum

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Strategies for ChangeFaculty and Professionals

• Develop standards across universities and
  colleges to evaluate psychiatric disability
  practices
• Allow students to develop evaluations
• Reframe classroom discussions in order to be
  inclusive of the diversity of psycho-political
  identities
• Counseling and Rights advice should be two
  separate offices
• Ensure HR training at the beginning of each
  school year

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Strategies for ChangeStudents

• Put up posters create a space for students who
  will have and have had contact with psychiatric
  system
• Focus on experiences and develop solid questions
  or critiques
• Learn your Rights !
• Celebrate and document successes

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Dismantle Mentalism

• Write your stories
• Research our history
• Join in on Madness Pride Day events