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The school administrators can indirectly force it. Teacher says Joey is a problem, looks to her as if he may be ADD.

I am a teacher. We've been told that we can't even suggest that Joey might be ADD, because that's making or suggesting a diagnosis we are not qualified to make.

My experience has been that parents are more likely to want their children labeled ADD/ADHD than teachers are, because parents use the label as an excuse for their childrens' poor behavior...it's not that Joey has never been properly trained, it's that he's ADHD, you know?

That being as it may, I wonder why the House is working on this law now? thoughtomator's 2nd link says a similar federal law went into effect July 1 of this year. Wonder why they need to pass it again, or if that is proof that they just pass all these bills without reading them?

We've been told that we can't even suggest that Joey might be ADD

I'm glad to hear that. But that is certainly not the case in Polk County, FL. Or anywhere else in this state that I am aware of.

You are correct that many parents are only too willing to go for the ADD diagnosis. I know several myself. They simply would not do what is necessary as a parent to deal with the kid, when they could abdicate responsibility for the child this way.

I didn't want my child labeled as ADD or ADHD, but his teacher continued complaining of restlesness in my 4th grader. We relented and took my son to an appropriate doctor who discovered he is ADHD - little boys' disease.

We decided to experiment on the school system. We reported the diagnosis and informed them that he would be taking his medication at home before school each day. Of course we did not medicate him. Soon the notes from school were glowing of improved attention and performance. There was no change in his exam scores but the grades for behavior escalated!

Apparently, a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD in students works wonders for the behavior of grade school teachers. The added benefit of this silly experiment is that my son now has extra time to complete his tests. I understand that when he sits for his SAT's he will also receive extra time to complete that important timed test as well.

I encourage all Freepers to have their young children tested for ADD or ADHD to take advantage of the untold benefits of placating looney left wingery.

We went through this scenario with the school and they suggested our child was ADD. We told them no he was not and to never suggest it again.

The problem turned out to be a teacher who didn't know how to manage her classroom. I can say this with absolute confidence as we have irrefutable proof.

Teachers are under so much pressure to make the children perform at an early age they are willing to drug their students to get the desired result. What they need to understand is that children are SUPPOSED to be hyper in the early years of their lives.

Our child is doing excellent in school now and has surpassed many of his classmates. We attribute the change to a better teacher.

"My experience has been that parents are more likely to want their children labeled ADD/ADHD than teachers are"

A lot of teachers would probably say the same. That has been my experience too.