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Mental Health Trumps
Individual Accountability |
 December 14, 2004
- Large numbers of teachers believe themselves
incapable of meeting the learning expectations placed on their institutions
by the No Child Left Behind Act. Like the characters in Atlas Shrugged,
they find themselves having to deal with problems they did not create within
the constraints of a system designed to fail. In order to remain in their
chosen profession, those caught in the middle must place blame elsewhere in
order to find an "out.” Those who refuse to "work within the system”
disappear. Mediocrity rises to the top and excellence disappears.
Public education has cried "wolf” one too many times, claiming that lack of
money is what is wrong with our schools. The public is not voting for tax
increases. School districts have had to resort to other means to assure that
their increased public funding habit is met. Lawsuits have been filed
against state governments for not providing the financial means necessary
for an optimal education. "Activist Judges” who use rule based on research
generated by the very mouths this research is designed to feed, have ordered
governors and legislators to come up with more funding.
Educational Mandatory mental health testing not only provides an "out” for
academic failure by providing labels that excuse individual actions; it
generates more funding to provide special services for those labeled with
deficiencies. The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (NFCMH) represents
a massive victory for those activists and lobbyists who champion the cause
of pharmaceutical companies who produce medication for those deemed
"mentally ill and unable to function in ‘normal’ capacity.” It is a blow
against those fighting to preserve the rights of individual liberties
guaranteed under the US Constitution. With individual liberty comes
individual responsibility, but that is not expected of someone excused from
the standards that apply to everyone else.
The NFCMH has made it easier to justify irresponsible behavior such as
impulsiveness and other unrefined character bi-products of the "me first”
and permissiveness era, heralded in by Dr. Spock. Today’s children are
granted adult rights while retaining minor status, for example; having an
abortion without parental consent and being guaranteed their right to
privacy in other areas, as well. Judicial activism selectively emancipates
minors. Those who behave irresponsibly while accepting no responsibility can
site a variety of mental disorders as their "modus operandi” and dismiss the
consequences of their actions!
Just look at the liberals who can’t get over Bush’s reelection. They’re not
bad sports. They have Post Election Selection Trauma as a result of losing
the election. Their inappropriateness is justifiable given that they cannot
help themselves. The therapists are making beaucoup bucks helping them
adjust to reality and these blowhards don’t have to be responsible for their
disregard for civility.
Rather than address the real problem which is inadequate teaching and
classroom management stemming from poor pedagogy, children can be labeled
with a mental disorder that excuses their academic performance and behavior.
Public education, seemingly forced to account for their performance, has
been dealt the ultimate trump card. The Orwellian conclusion to legislating
away accountability is that whether or not a child performs is no longer up
for discussion. What matters ultimately, is the excuse given for not meeting
expectations. A label changes everything.
But labels can be quite damaging for those assigned a disorder. Imagine
patient McMurphy talking to Nurse Ratchett in the story, One Flew over
the Cuckoo’s Nest. The 2002 Patient Confidentiality Law does not even
give an individual the right to see his/her own medical records. Being
labeled as a mental case certainly compromises a person’s credibility and in
the worst case, can get a person committed. McMurphy gets a lobotomy in the
end.
Who decides what is in the range of normal?
There are 374 Diseases listed in DSM IV, including, "Math Disorder,”
"Shopping Disorder,” and "Disorder of Written Expression.” Psychiatry
doesn’t require "the identification of physical symptoms to diagnose a
disease.” The medicines used to treat these alleged problems have been
scientifically proven ineffective, but they are associated with some
horrible side effects such as violent behavior or psychosis. This could
explain some of the school violence in the form of shootings over the last
10 years. It’s hard to imagine that there is no proven, "genetic/biologic
cause of any single mental illness, but no tests have conclusively proven
chemical imbalance because there is no identifiable chemical balance.
Programs such as, "Title One of the Federal Code”, "Children With
Disabilities Act” and the "Supplemental Security Income” provide, schools
additional funding for each child diagnosed with a "disorder,” giving
schools "an incentive to identify more kids with "special education” needs.
Behavior disordered children who aren’t expected to achieve and do not adopt
a moral code are perceived as victims of their upbringing. But in the long
run, misbehavior and disrespect for authority in the classrooms translates
to crime in the streets. How many parents are afraid to spank a child for
fear of being cited for "child abuse?” "Tolerating” a child’s excessive
behavior is seen as a positive parental trait. Educators, not students, are
supposed to adapt to any given situation. Given these circumstances,
everyone in the whole village is needed to take responsibility for the child
except for the family.
Judicial Activism, bad pedagogy, and labels all erode the individual rights
and responsibility necessary to maintain our system of government. We are
sacrificing the freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness by shirking
our responsibilities and giving the decision making power to the government
and not the people. One must play the cards that are dealt and make the best
of a given situation. Excuses do not keep the trains running.
Fifth Cavalry or Fifth Column
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Aug04/Ferry0820.htm
No Child Left Unmedicated
http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2004/nov04/04-11-24.html
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