A Tale of Two Decisions
So as I sit here in the early morning hours, I am struck by two very different news stories. One announces that Macy’s, the large and venerated department store at the center of the Miracle on 34th Street, has just announce that it will no longer fund Planned Parenthood “because of complaints from conservative and pro-life customers.” While we have no desire here to enter the pro-choice/pro-life debate, one has to wonder how many “customers” it took or how much money was at stake for an institution like Macy’s to abandon an organization that has helped so many for so long. I have no idea why Macy’s funded Planned Parenthood to begin with or why the department store decided to stop funding it now. But it is chilling to hear that a small group of vocal “customers” can influence such decisions. And one has to wonder what Macy’s plans to do about all those customers who believe that Planned Parenthood provides a valuable service and should be supported. I will watch to see what causes Macy’s decides to fund, but I find it curious that the department store has decided to take sides in this debate. It is sad that the decision-makers at Macy’s have allowed themselves to be coerced into taking sides on an issue that is a matter of personal faith and against an organization that does so much more than provide abortion counseling. Last I heard, the persons involved in that famous video are now charged with making false claims. And yet, Congress will continue to investigate the videos in what seems like a case of political grandstanding. The issue of abortion is too important to be settled “in the streets” or with “slash and burn” policies from one side or the other. Hopefully, this and other issues will be given the thoughtful and careful deliberation they deserve.
On a very different note, I see that Target and Toys-R-Us plan to offer “quiet hours” for children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. What a welcome relief. No one demonstrated, no one threatened to stop shopping if the retailers offered “quiet hours.” Unlike Macy’s decision, the decision by Target and Toys-R-Us was bold inasmuch as it may result in lost revenues; more important, however, it was the right decision to make on behalf of families who will benefit. We all know how hectic shopping is at this time of year. Even those who have nerves of steel can be rattled by the lights, sounds, and pace in most stores at this time of year. We have nothing but admiration for the decision-makers at these two stores for thinking about ALL children and for doing something to accommodate them.
I know, I know there are the skeptics who say that it is just their way of creating more customers, of finding yet another way of enticing more people to become consumers. But for the first time that I know of, a large retailer is taking positive steps for an often forgotten group of parents and children. Until now, parents of children with autism had to leave the effected child at home while they and the other children went Christmas shopping. Now the entire family can go. Thank you Target and Toys-R-Us. May your thoughtfulness and consideration serve as the example.
Dr. Marshall administrator
Richard Marshall earned an Ed.D. in reading and learning disabilities at West Virginia University in 1982. While completing his doctoral studies he served as an educational specialist in the Pediatric Neurology. Upon completion of his degree he became an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the WVU Medical School. After moving to Florida in 1983, he joined the faculty in the Department of Pediatrics in the College of Medicine at the University of South Florida and worked for five years in the Neonatal Developmental Follow-Up Program. In 1993, he completed a Ph.D. in School Psychology at the University of Georgia with an emphasis in Child and Adolescent Neuropsychology. Upon degree completion, he taught courses in the biological bases of behavior and neuropsychology at the University of Texas in Austin. He also served as developmental psychologist at the Children’s Hospital of Austin. He and his family returned to Florida in 2001 and he once more became a faculty member at the University of South Florida. He is presently an Associate Professor in the College of Education and he is an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at the USF College of Medicine. In 2008, Dr. Marshall co-authored the Pediatric Behavior Rating Scale; in 2011, he co-authored The Middle School Mind: Growing Pains in Early Adolescent Brains (2011) and is currently revising the Handbook for Raising an Emotionally Healthy Child (2012). In addition to writing and a busy schedule of workshops and presentations, Dr. Marshall also maintains a private practice in Lakeland, Florida where he specializes in the assessment and treatment of children and adults with emotional, behavioral, and learning disorders; parenting; family therapy; and couples counseling. As part of that practice he maintains a daily blog and he co-hosts The Mental Breakdown Podcast (iTunes, Google Play Music, and YouTube) and the Psychreg Podcast. He has spoken to professional and community groups throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and South America.
About the author