Posted on 04/04/2005 6:42:59 AM PDT by MikeEdwards
I keep waiting for someone to notice the way the rash of school shootings the U.S. has experienced has coincided with the massive program of drugging "over-active" students or those deemed to have an "attention deficit." Medicating students has replaced counseling.
On December 1, 1997, Michael Carneal, a troubled 14-year-old, killed three students and wounded five others at Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky. In 1998, there were three events in which boys, one as young as 11, killed classmates and teachers. Most notorious is the April 20, 1999 Columbine High School massacre by two boys, Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, who killed twelve students and a teacher, and wounded 23 others before committing suicide.
There were two incidents in 2000, one involving a 6-year-old who shot and killed another 6-year-old at Buell Elementary School in Mount Morris Township, Michigan, and on May 26, Nathaniel Brazill, 13, killed his English teacher on the last day of classes in Lake Worth, Florida. On March 5, 2001, Charles Williams, 15, killed two students and wounded 13 others at Santana High School in Santee, California. And, in 2003, two students were killed at Rocori High School in Cold Spring, Minnesota by a fellow student, age 15. He is awaiting trial. . . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...
BAH! double post! **mutters about slow connection or some such**
Well, that's what I would think, and it certainly makes sense. You are not (at least the typical teacher is not) trained in medicine - so you have no business recommending anything regarding medicines.
But I'm trying to square that with the statement I quoted earlier:
it is easier for teachers and administrators to recommend drugging students who exhibit disruptive behavior or what, to a lay person, appears to be an emotional disorder
and this:
Schools authorities, supported by members of the psychiatric community, have recommended that millions of children be put on psychotropic drugs
Is this the generic "recommendation", like "I think we ought to drug them all", or is it specific, like "I really think Johnny would greatly benefit from Ritalin." ?
The former I can understand as coming from a frustrated teacher, the latter is way overstepping the law as you described it.
I wonder.
However, no matter what that article or any other says, it is illegal for a non-qualifed school member to make a medical diagnosis or recommendation for medication.
Does it happen? Yup. Would it stopped if people were called on it and sued? Yup.
As I said earlier, if anyone here has had that happen to them, you have means to have a teacher severely punished--and someone that should be punished.
That and the other thing is the ability to exclude a troubled or troublesome student from school. Now schools must take them, in some capacity until they are 18. For some students, in the past they would find no place for them in school, no need to be on medication, only a job that they would start learning to earn their living. They were not a problem for the school, they did not need capital discipine or medicine, because there was a third elective.
The latest news on ritalin and adderall is that they are both in the same class of drug as cocaine and cause the same interference with endorphins, leaving the user with an inability to feel pleasure. The resulting depression or anxiety is then treated with another drug, like Zoloft or Prozac.
Yes, food allergies can cause ADD/ADHD-like behaviors. That's why we had over $2000 in lab tests done on our youngest w/negative results.
The only "dietary" thing that has helped him is caffeine- slugging down half cup of Mountain Dew with his breakfast (a tip I picked up from an ADD/ADHD support group)...the caffeine helps a true ADD kid him to be more alert and focused until his ADHD medication kicks in. Some kids will drink coffee or tea but mine won't.
ADD doesn't make a kid attack another kid- but kids with untreated ADD often have accompanying mood disorders, or they develop mood disorders and engage in antisocial behaviors as a result of being treated differently by other kids and adults in authority over them. They feel "left out" because they do not, can not, conform to group behaviors. They get angry with others, but most sadly with themselves. Once their self esteem plummets, it's usually a downhill battle for them not to fall in with the wrong crowd and the wrong activities, such as alcohol and drug abuse...both efforts to self-medicate themselves out of their problems. I hope your neighbor is aware of his child's antisocial behavior and is taking steps to get him evaluated and treated, the younger the better.
Yes it does help settle them down. proper nutrients like enough calcium magnesium settles the nervous system down.
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