SCHOOL FORCED BOY ONTO PSYCHO RX: SUIT

New York Post ^ | 9/24/02 | DOUGLAS MONTERO

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

Hey everybody!!! Great post #60!!

Yooo hooo!!! Come and read a great post---#60.

[Landru]

"Fact of the matter is that ADHD is diagnosed almost exclusivley in the US. I'm not wearing my tinfoil hat right now, but isn't that interesting?"

That's a frightening & sinister revelation, scholar.
But, there's yet another fact concerning *Ritalin* you know of I find even more disturbing!
I'm ready to recieve that revelation; when, you're ready to send it.
OK?

"God Bless their hyperactive little souls and protect them from the morons of this bureaucracy!!"

Holy Cow, scholar.

...a BIG Ahem! to that!

[tracer]

The mother was today's guest on the widely-syndicated G. Gordon Liddy radio program.....

[Aquinasfan]

Because they were threatened with negligence and abuse charges...no small thing when you consider that CPS is almost completely autonomous and answers to no one. They can pretty much do what they please when they decide they want your child.

At the turn of the century some NYC schools were performing tonsillectomies and other minor operations at school on the children of Italian immigrants without parental consent. The practice ended when a mob of Italian parents attacked the school and dragged their children out. Parents didn't trust "experts" so much in those days.

[Aquinasfan]

Thanks! I've gotten most of this information from The Underground History of American Education a large portion of which is readable on-line.

Be warned: reading this book will make you very, very angry.

[Marie]

So sorry! Good daddy! lol

[connectthedots]

Before anyone jumps on my case, please read all of my comments:

The article does not argue that ADHD/ADD is not real. It does clearly state that this child was improperly diagnosed by individuals clearly unqualified to render a diagnosis.

ADHD/ADD does exist in some individuals, and many very intelligent FReepers will attest to this fact ABOUT THEMSELVES (including me), not just in their children; so the parents are simply doping their kids because they can't control them argument is flawed. Most parents who decide to try ADD/ADHD medications, after a proper diagnosis by a qualified MD (usually a psychiatrist), do so only after much consideration and pretty much as a last resort. Of course there are those parents who really don't care whether the diagnosis is correct or not, and it is important to hold the schools accountable in those situations.

It should have been obvious that the kid did not have ADHD/ADD when his ability to focus not only did not improve, but got worse; along with all the other later problems. The surest sign that someone has been misdiagnosed is when the results are exactly what happened in this case. This is why a qualified doctor almost always starts with a very low dosage and gradually increases it to the proper level for someone who has been properly diagnosed.

ADHD/ADD medications have a far different effect on someone who actually has ADHD/ADD. About the only observable behavioral difference is that the person is able to focus on what they are doing to a much greater degree. ADHD/ADD medications are stimulants similar to amphetimines, usually with some other stuff mixed in. The brains of people with ADD are different than non-ADD people. Also ADD varies greatly in those that have it; and yes, everyone does have some characteristics associated with ADD, but within 'normal' ranges, whatever that means.

Many people have commented on the figure of $75,000 and that it is inadequate in this case. Please note that the story said at least $75,000; not only. The $75,000 number is significant because it is the threshhold amount necessary to invoke the jurisdiction of the federal courts.

If the story accurately reflects the facts, and even though I know ADHD/ADD is real, I hope the parents prevail and win a huge award against the school and those involved if for no other reason than to put schools across the country on notice that they had best be very careful before encouraging/intimidating parents into putting their kids on the medications without a proper diagnosis of a qualified medical doctor who has no vested interest or association with the school.

Many MDs qualified to diagnose and treat ADHD/ADD readily acknowledge that ADHD/ADD is mis-diagnosed far to often, and by people who have absolutely no business making an evaluation.

Contrary to the lawyer for the kid and his parents, ADHD/ADD is not a disease. It is a natural condition.

People with ADD, and not complicated by other 'problems', can be very successful in many careers such as sales, emergency services (including law enforcement, paramedics, firefighters, ER doctors), trial attorney, pilots, business owners (if they have an assistant good with the detail work which most people with ADD tend to overlook), jobs requiring an ability to focus intently (A little known fact is that when an ADDer is really interested in something, they can block out all the irrelevant 'noise' around them and hyper-focus on what needs to be done). They also tend to be very creative and good problem solvers (as long as someone else is available to implement the solution). They can also be very funny and charming, but also pretty blunt (as a group, not the most tactful; but you will know what they think).

When everything is going to 'hell-in-a-handbasket', the person who keeps his wits about him, and comes up with the solution in very short order, likely has some ADD traits, along with good thinking skills.

[goodieD]

Perhaps we need an angry mob of parents today, instead of the half boiled frog bunch we have now.

[multitaskmom]

There's more to this chemical lobotomization story than meets the eye, I think. And the claim that she was "pressured" to lobotomize her son for TWO YEARS is a typical weak-kneed, post modern "feminist" twister.

I have to disagree with you on this, without additional information you can't make this judgment. My daughter's Kindergarten AND First Grade teachers pressured me for two years straight to put her on Ritalin. Finally, I took her to our family physician, told him what the school was saying, and he said they were insane, that she did not exhibit any of the signs of ADHD or even ADD.

The first grade teacher got angry with us because we didn't take our daughter to the "school approved" doctor. We pulled her out of public school at the end of that year and put her in private school, where the new first grade teacher (yes, she repeated first grade because the private school was 3/4 of a year ahead of the public school) told me about food sensitivities that can lead to hyperactive behavior. Sure enough, when my daughter eats wheat, her attention span suffers. So, she doesn't eat cereal with wheat in it for breakfast anymore and she's in advanced junior high classes.

And I'm as far from being a "post modern feminist" as you can get.

[galt-jw]

if anyone had told us 30 years ago of a nation that had state run schools which drugged their children in order to modify behavior and PACIFY students, we would have assumed it was some tryannical government, like the Soviet Union, East Germany or Romania.

time to wake up. this is the US, we aint free, and if it dont change, the place wont be worth having.

[Ronin]

I haven't heard that, but I wouldn't be surprised at all.

If any school tried to get me to drug my kid, I would either homeschool, or failing that, move out of the school district. Hell, I would move out of the country if necessary.

The long-term damage that is being done to these kids is as horrifying as it is inexplicable and utterly unnecessary. What are they going to be like as adults? Will they be able to function in society, make a living or do any kind of work that demands a person function under stress?

The chemical-induced lobotomies that are being carried out in schools is almost as frightening to me as the current statistics on abortion because we literally DO NOT KNOW what the long-term effects of these drugs are going to be.

[CARepubGal]

Bingo! Spot on IMHO! And how many serious problems are masked by Ritalin? Seriously a sick situation. An acquaintance of mine handles this by asking exactly when the school nurse or whatever became a Psychologist, LCSW or MD and what they are board certified in. Psychology is no more accurate than Voodoo.

[FLAMING DEATH]

Welcome to my world. As a teacher, I face stuff like this almost every day.

At best, the administration of drugs makes children believe that they are not responsible for their behavior. Just today, I was assaulted with the F-word by a 7th grader. The reason? He hadn't been given his medication. A pop of a pill, a pat on the head, and little Johnny is sent on his way.

At worst, the medication can actually be harmful to the student, at the present (psychotic episodes) or in the long run (liver, kidney damage, etc).

And the most wonderful part, many of these students who are medicated are also protected through the magic of the Individualized Education Program(courtesy of the Federal Government), which can absolve them of responsiblity for their behavior. Basically, it can be written as a different set of rules for each student, dependent in part upon what the parent wants. If the IEP says that the teacher has to stand on his head while lecturing, then by golly, the teacher better do it or face the consequences.

I have actually seen disciplinary actions overturned after parental conferences because the child had certain things written in their IEP which, in effect, made them unaccountable. Administrators or teachers who disregard the IEP can be held liable in court.

And the kids know all of this. I have had children tell me they did what they did because they didn't take their "hyper-pills" (their terminology, not mine).

As with any group, teachers can be good or bad, and based on some that I've seen, I certainly wouldn't give blanket approval to those in the education field. But, I can honestly say that most of the problems with schools lie with legislators who tie teachers' hands and then let them take the fall (and bad press) for the consequences of very stupid legislation. I can assure you that there are many (but of course, not all) school personel out there who are doing all they can to turn things around within the school systems. And, many are being fought at every turn by legislators who present laws which clearly will not work, but will ensure their own re-election.

Many days my colleages and I feel as if we are rearranging chairs on the deck of the Titanic.

If you want to change the school system, start at the top. Petition local boards, state governments and federal legislators to start introducing common sense into school law. And, find out who's voting for this crap, and make sure they get un-elected this November.

Or, even better, find the time and resources to home school.

[hapsgroupie]

Most school nurses are a little confused about which drugs to give kids. Students have to have a note signed by a docter in order for the nurse to give them Tylenol, but they can be taken off campus to have an abortion without the mother's consent.

[Hildy]

Last night my store hosted a party of 27 eight year olds. I can understand why people would want to medicate them...it's the easy way out.

[Rome2000]

This mother is a moron.

SHE agreed to dope up the kid, nobody put a gun to her head.

These government school "psychologists" have to justify their salaries and positions, thus the wholesale doping of kids for no reason.

It's up to the parents to tell the headshrinkers to go jump in the lake, or approve the treatment.

If they agree to the treatment, they have no justification to sue.

The entire ADD disease is a crock, I can't see how she is going to prove the doctors misdiagnosed something that doesn't exist.

A slap in the head would work wonders on her precious kid, all these kids need is someone to put the fear of God into them.

This nonsense doesn't go on in Catholic schools.

[John O]

As long as it is administered fairly, according to clearly defined guidelines, and by level-headed individuals. And that's the catch.

Of course. That's why it can't be used in the government schools, no level headed people and certainly no one who understands fairness, consistency or clearly defined guidelines. We have a case of the inmates running the asylums in most government schools.

GSA(P)

[John O]

All you said is true. Home schooling or rather parental schooling (since it may not always take place at home) is always the best choice for the child. Private religious schools rank second, the stricter the school the better. Private secular schools rank third. No schooling at all ranks fourth, prison ranks fifth and government schools rank dead last.

The thing I always thought amazing was that the dumbest kids in our class at Catholic school, the ones with the worst behavior problems etc, were all top 25% in the public schools when they transfered there. Are public schools really failing that badly? (DUH)

GSA(P)

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

I am contrite that some of my comments on this thread betrayed a contempt for modern mothers. Really, I was just venting my horror at the kind of society we have that makes parents jump through such tortuous hoops just to keep their child from being chemically altered!

I can't imagine what it must be like to go through such a bureaucratic nightmare. I admire those with the hope and courage to bring a baby into the world. But, what a world.....

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

Thank you for the link. This is the most depressing subject of all....