Replies

Hmmm, this doesnt pass the "smell test" with me.

Special education is determined through extensive testing--educational and pyschological--generally the medical is done through the parents themselves. The school is not qualified to give a medical diagnosis.

Special education services are covered under IDEA 77 which was updated in 96, very clearly delineates the responsibilites of both sides. The school is not allowed to act as a doctor, UNLESS the parent has signed away that right to them. This is the ONLY instance in which a school can provide a medical diagnosis. This article does not indicate whether or not she did.

What happens if a school violates this part of IDEA? As a special ed teacher myself, I have been told I can be fired for even mentioning medication. All I can do is describe behaviors and suggest that a parent discuss it with a qualified professional. That is it. Do a search on IDEA and look it up. The responsibilites, penalties, and consequences are all there for anyone to see.

I have read stories about school districts forcing students to take medication--but I have taught in 7 different districts in 3 states over the last 20 years and I have personally never seen it.

I will also add that a very good friend of mine is a psychiatrist and according to her about 45% of her child clients are homeschooled children--on ritalin, adderal, etc. This is not just a "Let's drug them so they will behave in a class of 25 kids" situation. If a kid really has ADHD or ADD, medication is very necessary. ESPECIALLY if they are 16 and driving. No one wants an ADHD kid behind the wheel off his/her meds. However, she (and I) believe it is over diagnosed. I've had kids in my classroom who were FINE with me, but bad at home or in other classes. ADHD doesn't really turn itself on and off like that. But yet the parents will insist that the child has ADHD and therefore qualifies for services.

As far as the long term effects of Ritalin goes--all I can say is to look carefully at whom is making a claim. The Ritalindeath.com site is run by a man trying to sell a book and homeopathic meds. The information from drug companies is obviously from someone trying to sell drugs/medication.

As far as this woman goes, she is making quite a few claims which certainly sound damming. I will have to watch the rulings to see how this comes out.

THANKS FOR YOUR POST.

My situation is proof positive that something is wrong.

My son did not qualify for special ed, ( like I didn't know he would not prior) however the public school insisted they would not let him into second grade unless I had him medicated.

He was in private school until end of first grade.

He was in a private school with very high standards that my child could not meet. They offered to have him repeat 1st grade but I just could not do that to him so I opted for the public school.

You sound like an NEA Troll.

In the area where I live a commitee of three school teachers in each school evaluates the student, and if they reccomend that the child be put on Ritalin the parents have an extremely difficult time opposing the action. In this one school district almost 25% of the children are classified as having ADD or ADHD.

Several years ago I questioned the qualifications and right of Teachers to make the evaluation of ADD, or ADHD and I quote the answer given to me by one Teacher "Doctors can not make the determination because they are not in the close contact with the child that the teacher has, only a teacher would be familiar enough with the child to recognize the problem"

One close acquaintance of mine spent almost a year getting his daughter removed from the Special Ed classification even when his physician determined that there was nothing wrong with her.

As to the claim that 45% of her friendly psychiatrist's Ritalin patients being home schooled children, it flies in the face of reality. One of the reasons that many HS mothers take their children out of the Public School System is to keep them out of reach of the "Expert Diagnostic Teachers" who are responsible for putting children into these drug programs. I doubt that many HS mothers would even take their children to a SHRINK to begin with.