Sitting in a meeting for a child, the first topic of the special education director was 'well, we need to get this child back on medication". After an explanation of the flaws of the MTA study and the recent study of University of Buffalo showing no difference in the long term between drugged kids and those not subjected to drugs as well as growth suppression and adverse events amongst the drugged, this did not sway any opinion. Rather, this person stated he had 'connections' to the psychiatrist and would see to it that this was accomplished. Of course, when the topic of the child's behavior being communication and my awareness of what his current distress is about, this conversation was basically ended. Instead, it became a conversation on how to force the child into compliance to a situation that he finds uncomofrtable and distressing. But in this, the special education director found that if he could shirk repsonsibility and out it upon another to create a behavioral assessment that this would also be positive. Once again, blame the brain, blame the child, but exonerate yourself from examining the situations which have led the child to distress. And if that does not work, warehouse the child somewhere where he will not be a bother to anyone. This is the sad state of affairs under which we operate. As Laing had noted once that children in the UK had a higher chance of entering a mental institution than college and that it could be the way we educate children that is driving them mad.
-Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.
KINGSTON, PA AUTISM CONSULTATION Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.,B.C.S.A.,DAPA- is a highly sought after psychotherapist, Existential Psychoanalyst, autism specialist, social activist, speaker,and author. Dr. Edmunds's work is devoted to drug free, relational approaches for children, adults, and families undergoing extreme states of mind, autism and trauma. Dr. Edmunds can be reached for consultation at batushkad@yahoo.com. Dr. Edmunds' private practice is in Kingston and Tunkhannock, PA.
Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D,B.C.S.A.,DAPA.
e-mail: batushkad@yahoo.com
1 comment:
Having had bad experiences in public schools myself, I must whole heartedly agree with your post. At the risk of sounding a bit ludicrous, it is interesting to note that in history certain dictatorships used "educational systems" to indoctrinate conquered peoples. These systems were strikingly similiar to what the public school system is today.
The public school system works on a bell curve of mediocrity. Both those who are falling behind and those who are flying ahead are at risk. Those who fall behind are charged as having something so wrong with them that medication or expulsion is neccessary. (Nevermind the fact that public schools provide an environment of self-stifiling, contradicting social norms.) Those who fly ahead are often alienated by peers or misunderstood. (You've gotten straight A's but you want to be home-schooled? You must need a psychiatrist, it can't be that something is wrong with the school!)
It is a sad system that yanks everyone toward what is considered to be a safe-mediocre middle. I am bold enough to believe that public schools are just institutions ensuring that the future of America remains oblivious to its inherent freedoms and powers as individuals. What better way for the federal reserve to ensure its next string of workers?
Even more sadly, those who run this bell-curve system of mediocrity seem to be nothing more than a handful of selfish, self-righteous educators and teachers; Ones more concerned that they will be getting raise than actually having to put forth the effort of being a community that encourages real education.
Post a Comment