“NOT insisting on mainstreaming mentally ill kids into schools with normal kids would prevent a lot. “
YES. I once dropped in on a Broward kindergarten class and found a boy locked inside by himself, the rest the class at the cafeteria. Teacher was gone.
I awaited her returned. She had grabbed lunch and would eat in the classroom to supervise Ryan. Ryan, a real cute freckled faced ‘Norman Rockwell” looking kid who looked like an innocent from a distance. But he was a COMPLETE PSYCHO.
He could not handle people within an eight foot radius (which was marked off for him in the classroom) and would attack the other children, frequently. Mrs. Hall routinely restrained Ryan with her huge bear hugs until he calmed down. he could not handle PE, recess, lunch or music class. He spent his time isolated in ‘his 1/3 of the class room’ with a head set on sitting at the computer.
He was on meds, parents were trying, teacher was exhausted, but he was born psycho and belonged elsewhere. It was totally unfair to the teacher and the rest of the little kids in the class and that school.
****** Broward County Schools******* has a habit of mainstreaming psychos and collecting the additionally state & federal funding that accompanies these kids.