Posted on 07/31/2005 10:11:30 AM PDT by tryon1ja
Washington - As a first-grader, Garrett Nash blurted out answers before his teacher called on him. He tickled a student sitting next to him and sometimes bolted out of lines. One cold day, he left school without his winter coat.
Michelle Nash thought her son's behaviour was typical for a child adjusting to a full day of classes, but school officials suspected he had a hyperactivity disorder. They recommended giving him Ritalin, a stimulant used to treat children with that problem. She refused. "I just said I'm not going to do it," said Nash, 40. "And their response was, "You know, it's against the law for you to deny a child medication." That's no longer the case. As of July 1, schools no longer have the upper hand in deciding whether children should be given Ritalin or other controlled substances. A new federal law tilts that power to parents, barring states and schools from keeping students out of class in cases when parents disagree with a recommendation to medicate a child. The law is provoking an emotional debate over the proper role of teachers and other school employees in trying to help children they believe are troubled. And it is taking effect amid growing concern over the exploding use of Ritalin, the brand name for methylphenidate. Production of that drug has nearly doubled in the United States since 2000, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Meical professionals are on both sides of the issue. Lance Clawson, a child psychiatrist from Cabin John, Md., said the new law could make teachers fearful of communicating legitimate concerns to parents. Because teachers see so many children everyday, they are best equipped to identify abnormal behavior, he said. "If you tie the hands of the schools, they lose the right to advocate for the child," Clawson said. But Karen Effrem, a former pediatrician who testified before Congress on the issue two years ago, said that children are often incorrectly diagnosed. Sometimes, she sid the problem is simply that they are watching too much television, eating a poor diet or are bored. She said the legislation does nothing to keep teachers from speaking out.
I'm not a lady but a dad. My daughter was in fifth grade when she had to draw the diagram of her house. I have had other children do similare surveys in several different elementary grades. The sex ed was also in fifth grade. I think they hesitate to ask these questions in high school because it seems to stop when they get there.
It's taken me a while to read through this - but I agree - it is creepy.
Makes me very happy that my name (and attitude) is known not only by the school administration, but most members of the school board........and my daughter doesn't start 2nd grade until September.
My wife has always insisted on keeping active with the school for each of our children, especially the last 4 adopted ones. For a long time there was not too many school days that went by that we did not communicate with someone at the school or the bus driver. They may have gotten sick of hearing from us but we didn't care. A proactive role with the children and the school is far better than letting the school think they are in control and they are part of the village that has to mold our child to their way of thinking.
You know, you're just guessing. You can't "PROVE" my child has this condition, and you can't "PROVE" your prescription is SAFE & EFFECTIVE!!!!
Forgot part of my last post. Our neighbor fought the school on the medication and the school turned her in to social services for child abuse because she refused to give her child medication.
My husband and I are no different than you and your wife - we believe in being active. Thankfully we live in a district that not only encourages parental involvement and participation, but actually expects it (as much as they can). But even if the school didn't want it - I would be doing it anyway.
Yes, our child is going to public school, however, we are well aware of the FACT that the ultimate responsibility for our daughter's education rest squarely upon our shoulders.
I appreciate your concern regarding the cost of cigarettes, even though you don't smoke. My husband and I have been rolling our own cigarettes for close to 5 years now.
We slacked off after we first moved to Virginia 2 years ago when it was a pain to get the tobacco and buying a carton only cost a buck more than making our own........but VA raised the cig tax and while it is not as high as Michigan, it is now back to being cheaper to make our own instead of buying them.
Many thanks for you looking out for other folks!
"FIA (social services)"... HA
A former schoolmate of mine (Mike Farris) wrote a book on the subject of out of control "social services".
It was written as fiction, but I know enough about Mike's bio, that I'm sure it was real.
If I'd been the victim in that book, they would have been bodies on the doorstep.
I went to school in Rochester in the '70s. We had sex ed in fourth grade back then and I didn't understand any of it. Some of the girls were crying at the end. There's no way my boys are learning about sex from the Lansing school district.
Hey hoofer, how's the ankle?!
Wow. I mean, I know the education system is one big beaurocracy in itself, but I had no idea they actually PLAN it to be that way.
Grellis, you can be assured, that NO teacher or education administrator (I'm sure that will be the next PC term for them) that will pull that on me (now that I know at least). In fact, I'll now take great pleasure in going to that thar roundup just to be a P.I.T.A. Cuz, you know, it will be "for the children". (I promise to never make that statement again.)
Darlin' ya gots to roll yer own!
The money you save is OBSCENE and you'll smoke less.
The tobacco is fresh, and you have to "work" a bit to make that smoke if you want it. After a while, it becomes second nature to just sit and roll one. People will ask you about it and it's even a good conversation starter.
But the best part of rolling your own is that they are free of the additives the cigarette companies add to commercially packed ones. They put things in them that actually make them MORE addictive. I know this is true because I just quit last week. I am also on the patch (level 2 for medium smokers). I don't think it would have been this easy if I was smoking my old standby Montclair Full Flavor 100's.
Save money NOW. And when YOU'RE ready, it will be much easier to quit than with regular smokes.
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