Posted on 07/11/2005 7:58:51 AM PDT by SmithL
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, of Blaine, Minn., thought her son's behavior 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.
Medical 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 every day, 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 lives in Plymouth, Minn., and who testified before Congress on the issue two years ago, said that children are often incorrectly diagnosed. Sometimes, she said, 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.
"What it does is prevent teachers from becoming physicians," she said, adding that "there's a lot of overuse and forced use of medications going on."
Schools will have plenty of incentive to comply with the new law: Congress is threatening to block federal aid to schools that try to force medication on students against the wishes of their parents. Congress also is considering expanding the law. A bill sponsored by Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., a member of the House Education Committee, would extend the Child Medication Safety Act to include psychotropic drugs such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft.
"Except for a contagious disease sort of situation, you shouldn't be required to provide any medication to your kid as a condition of going to school," said Kline, who has lined up 20 cosponsors for his bill.
Garrett, now 11, attended first grade at Kenneth Hall Elementary School in Spring Lake Park, Minn. His mother said school officials told her that Garrett was "being impatient" in the first few weeks of school, being silly in class and acting as though he wanted to be the center of attention. Sometimes he forgot his papers or gloves. She said she agreed to allow tests of her son because she felt pressured.
After the tests, Nash said she was told her son was normal and that he was performing well academically. But she said school officials insisted that the boy meet with a specialist in hyperactivity in an attempt to get him taking Ritalin. She said that even her pediatrician disagreed with the school's recommendation.
Nash complained to school system officials, who investigated the case. Spring Lake Park Superintendent Don Helmstetter wrote a letter to Nash, saying that school officials had "taken steps to ensure that such a process will not happen to any other parents."
"The school was very intimidating," she said. "From the beginning, the school made me feel they were more powerful and knowledgeable than me. ... This can happen to anyone."
bump
We do , too. My oldest son went to kindergarten in a public school. He was quiet, so I thought he could use the simple interaction. Big mistake!! They claimed he was hyperactive and learning disabled. I thought "What the hell are they talking about?" I went to the school, and found out the stuff they were teaching was way too easy for him. He was bored. He already knew colors, shapes, how to add and read simple books. I took him back out, and we joined a state wide homeschool group instead.
Imagine what they would have done to him had I left him there. They would have destroyed him.
I remember telling the teachers that "I can handle him, and have handled him for 12 years. It's YOUR JOB to handle him, if you can't do that then maybe you need to get a different job."
When he was 15 he made the High School Baseball team. A requirement of playing was getting a 2.0 citizenship grade. One of his teachers (math)gave him a "0", even though his grade was B+. I asked him, why a zero? "Because he just blurts out the answers without being called on," was his reply.
I don't know about the rest of you, but a student that is involved with class enough to WANT to respond, is not a zero in my book. My son had figured out that his teachers response to him, was to ignore him....he just was not about to let that happen!
I told his teacher if he wanted my son bouncing off the walls with unspent energy, then he was on the right path by having him "sit out" baseball. After experiencing his unspent energy for about two weeks, his math teacher changed his citizenship grade to a 2 and he was back on the team!
LOL! If I could hook my oldest son up to a generator, we could tell the power co-op to keep their expensive electricity!
Before the development of Dupro-Privera, Ritalin was used for chemical castration. What affect do you think this would have on prepubescient boys?
These children are often gifted children who are misdiagnosed. Use a search engine, and find a site for parents of gifted children. Learn the peculiarities associated with these kids, and it may help you. It may not, but look before you make any life altering decisions. (Gifted kids have their special patterns of behavior).
My Third Grade teacher once told a visitor to our class that I was a good student but sometimes I was on "Cloud Nine". Thank God that was in 1966.
How so Clauson? All they lost was the homemade sign that said boss.
If any child comes in with a diagnosis of ADHD or the like, I assume:
1) Bad parenting
2) Bad doctoring
3) Bad teaching
4) Bad medicating
5) The diagnosis/treatment is correct.
This diagnosis is usually an attempt to excuse and mollify the inadequacies of the adults that raised the child.
I'll second that! LOL!
I agree 100% with you!
:)
Maybe that is why most schools now have psychiatrists on staff, one of their own giving the diagnosis they want.
Allot of them are NUTS!!
Some can't even stroll into school dressed appropriately or NOT molest the kids!
Yeah ... I'm real impressed with public school teachers ... especially those with tenure ... .
You have mail!
:-)
A person who thinks "normal behavior" for a young boy includes sitting in a chair all day, not saying anything, not throwing anything, not humming the entire "Star Wars" soundtrack, not asking for food, etc., etc., needs to see a psychiatrist - or at least see some children who haven't been "schooled" until they're zombies.
Any teacher or other union worker who wants to demand my offspring take ritalin is practicing medicine without a license and would be treated accordingly by a lawyuh of my choice.
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