Actually, many educators ARE afraid of being sued. I still say most of this is discipline problems - which start in the home. Dr. Spock permeates both home and school.
The schools get obnoxious brats. They have legislated themselves out of allowing serious discipline, so are afraid even to literally hold a kid. They will be sued for “touching” the poor, poor child.
I think they turned to drugs mostly as an answer to this. They can’t touch the kid, or even dare tell the parent to get a grip on the kid, so they come up with the next solution - medicate!
This is just a partial theory. But my mother was a teacher - IN EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED, no less - and I know something about what went on in public school even 20 years ago when I was going and she was still head of ED.
ED? that woman is a saint. I mean that sincerely. Unless you have walked in those shoes, no one can completely understand what that is like. You obviously have an idea. Those classrooms are the toughest of the tough right there.
Probably responsible for more messed-up kids than anyone in American history, even Keyes(hope I got the name right...the guy who did the 1-in-10 and human sexuality studies based on the diaries of a child molester) .