grave import

Obituary

Charleen Weiler, an 18-year-high school senior hospitalized since Monday morning for a self -administered overdose of medication, died at 2;55 a.m. Friday at Memorial hospital. At least one school teacher believes the school system and the Mental Health institute in Mt. Pleasant were in part responsible for her death. BHS work study instructor Charles Chambers - Miss Weiler's teacher - said the incident had affirmed his opinion of the school's Special education program. The Weiler case, Chambers said, is an example of why he intends to resign at the end of the school year. "The school's Special education policies and the Mt. Pleasant Mental Institution were in large part responsible for her death. It's a real tragedy," Chambers said. in a meeting early Friday afternoon with Chambers and the girls counselor, Virginia Padovan, BHS Principal Leroy Pease said he felt the schools had done everything possible to help Miss Weiler. "We used every facility at our command to help this girl over the years," Miss Padovan said. "And our test scores indicate she should have been in the Special Education program. We just didn't know what else we could possibly do," she said. Chambers said he felt no one in particular was to blame for the death, "but we all are if we keep putting kids in this program and keep making them think they are dummies." "You see, when they graduate from the program they don't get a regular diploma. They get a certificate that indicates they're mentally retarded. That is a real tragedy because in many cases it's a result of home life and environmental situation. "What we need are teachers who can teach everyone. Not just average kids or one subject." Chambers said. Pease pointed out the girl had been in an average level English class at one time and had done average work. "But she didn't want to return to it," Pease said. "Yeah, that's because she thought she was a dummy. She'd been conditioned to think she was," Chambers said. "Just like the rest of the kids. The best thing I could do is tell the kids to drop out. But i won't do that because it would really be disillusioning to them after being in the program this long, "Chambers said. Chambers said the girl, who was not a drug addict, had come to him after taking the medication and told him she didn't know why she had done it. "There was considerable time lost between the time she came to me and we got her to the hospital. I called the school nurse and she called a doctor. They tried to pump out her stomach here. Then we had to get hold of a doctore," Chambers said. Charleen had been enrolled in the Burlington school system's Special Education program since first grade, attending Lincoln school, Washington, Oak Street and finally, Burlington high. Since returning from Mt. Pleasant, Charleen had been living at the YMCA on the recommendation of a psychiatrist, Chambers said. According to Chambers she had tested out of the Special Education program last year, but for some reason was again placed in the program this year. "Her problems were emotional. She had family and homelife problems, but she was of average intelligence," Chambers said. "They do this all the time out here. They keep mis-placing kids. It does them more harm than good." Asst. Supt. Haden Keehn said he was not familiar with the girl's records, But he explained the Special Education program was for educable mentally retarded students with I.Q. scores of 80 or below. Testing done at Oakdale last June gave the girl an I.Q. rating of 82, but in the same report there were strongly worded recommendations she remain in the Special Education program. The report indicated work with average students would harm her emotionally. Director of Special Education Mary Ward said she had seen no records concerning the girl's I.Q. scores. "If she passed any tests last year exempting her i haven't seen them. And they're all supposed to go across my desk," she said. Miss Ward said Miss Weiler was enrolled in Special Education this fall and had gone to Mt. Pleasant in October. "But she would have graduated with the rest of the senior class this spring. She was still officially enrolled in school," Miss Ward said, Chambers said he had worked with Miss Weiler for two years, This is his second year at BHS. A non-identical twin sister, Charlotte, also had a role in Miss Weiler's problems, Chambers said. Both were enrolled in special education. But, according to Chambers, Charlotte was a domineering, outwardly aggressive young woman, while Charleen held back her hostilities. "They were constantly competing. And it was particulary bad for Chaleen, During the past year she had become openly suicidal. One of the first questions she'd ask teachers is how she could kill hersel," Chambers said. "They (the sisters) just should never have been placed in a competing position," Chambers added.
Miss Weiler was the daughter of Edward and Margery Weiler, 131 S. Fifth. Both parents work at Lehigh Leopold - the father as a maintenance man, the mother as a packer. She had one brother, Robert, 23, who lives at home and works at Productions Incorporated and four sisters, Mrs. Sharon Melton, 21 of Galesburg, Ill., Charlotte, 18, Doreen, 13 and Mary Ann 9, all at home. According to school officials she took the drugs, originally prescribed by the Mt. Pleasant Mental Health Institute's Dr. Jean Fairchild, sometime Monday morning at BHS. Miss Weiler had returned ten days before from three months of hospitilization at Mt. Pleasant. She had been under psychiatric care for nearly a year. Sources said they could not release the type of drug she had taken without parental consent, but one teacher said she had taken the entire bottle of the prescription as well as two or three librium tablets. Dr. Fairchild said Friday she had felt Miss Weiler was ready to return home and had felt she was also competent to handle her own prescriptions. Mrs. Weiler said she was not aware of her daughter's situation at school, nor did she know what kind of medication she had been prescribed, "I wish I could help, but I just don't know," she said. Miss Weiler was a member of the First Christian church and had worked at several jobs during the past year. She was a baby-sitter occasionally and had worked at both Hotel Burlington and Henry's Drive-In. Funeral will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday, at the Elliott-Lunning chapel with Rev. John Vickers, a long-time family friend, officiating. Burial will be in Aspen Grove cemetery.