Public Education labels for children

by Susan Ryan

Those "at risk" labels. Do they help? Do they hurt? What are the consequences of expanding formal schooling with a national universal preschool trend, or as it is known in Illinois: Preschool for All? 

The same groups pushing cradle oversight for all and benefiting from the Preschool for All craze are also pushing mental health screening for all children. Those groups have great influence in Illinois now under the Blagojevich/Democratic party regime, even as many Republican representatives don't seem to contest the issue (or the funding). 

One significant and pragmatic aside is acknowledgement of Senator Lauzen's very logical questions during the 3rd reading of a bill to fund Early Learning transportation to public schools (SB 2352).

He asked the sponsor (Wilhemi) about the physical consequences of putting little ones (4 year olds) on a bus. Those concerns seemed very practical to me. I've cringed as I've watched little ones literally crawl onto bus steps to get on.  He asked about the use of car/booster seats on the bus. The lackadasical response by Senator Wilhemi that seatbelts and booster/car seats are required for private citizens, but are exempt from government responsibilities seems to be a given with many legislators now.  Senator Lauzen asked the right questions in these unfortunate obstacles to limited government and citizens' natural rights. (Senators Lauzen and Burzynski were the only nays on 2352.)

I am seeing private preschools and day cares close as more state requirements and demands are too difficult to compete with for the "free services" of public schools.  Those "free services" are provided with some of my tax money. Demanding that little ones just out of diapers be involved with institutional schooling is very sad to me. The push for universal preschool even lurches out to the law enforcement community with the message that No Preschool=Prison.  Really.

One young boy was given a "special ed" label a dozen years ago while in preschool.  His mother didn't agree, and kept him and his other nine siblings home.  Seems to have worked well.

This Hopkins Park family have homeschooled their children since and seem to have no regrets.  They are highlighted in 2 Daily Journal articles:

IL Homeschooled family learns by doing 

Louise Anthony had this question about where her son would have headed if kept in school with this very early label about his personality and 'learning style'.

The labeling of Marcus, whose main problem was extreme shyness, as
"special ed" is what prompted Louise to make the move away from the
typical school setting.

"What would have happened to Marcus if I would have left him in public
school?" she asked. "He certainly wouldn't have come along as far as he
has."

This labeling reminds me of Indiana teen Chelsea Rhoades' situation as a result of a TeenScreen (mental health) survey given to her at school without parental knowledge.  She was diagnosed at the school and told that she was mentally ill with an obsessive-compulsive disorder and social anxiety disorder.  Why?  Because her answers to this test reflected that she didn't go out on school nights and because she gets nervous when she stands in front of a group of people to give a book report.  The TeenScreen survey is also prevalent in Illinois schools.  The Illinois House passed a 2003 Resolution that "every young person should be screened once during childhood or adolescence to identify mental illness and prevent suicide".  TeenScreen was the test of choice in the Resolution.  Follow the money.

IL Home on her own: Picking up where the education system failed

This article linked above also points out the practical opportunities of learning by living, along with their other hard work maintaining their large household.  Here are the consequences of Louise and Mark Anthony taking charge of their children's education:

Son Marcel, 18, recently received a $5,000 scholarship to attend Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where he plans to study mechanical engineering this fall.

"In the future, I think I'd like to be designing cars or the machines that make them," he said. "Maybe making ones that are more fuel efficient."

Nineteen-year-old Marcus also will be attending Wright this fall, studying computer engineering. He finished high school a year early and has since been taking classes at a community college in Cincinnati.

Twins Marius and Louvina, who will be seniors, are also a year ahead of grade level. Marius plans to study structural engineering and Louvina, criminal biology.

"It's really very difficult to manage, wanting everybody to learn something through the whole process," said Louise. "But I think it's working."

The Anthony family lifestyle does seem to be working; particularly for a very young and very shy boy. Marcus wasn't deemed "school ready", but appears to have a very bright future as an adult. 
Senator Obama says this about children he considers "at risk":

"What you see consistently are children at a very early age are starting school already behind. That's why I've said that I'm going to put billions of dollars into early childhood education that makes sure that our African-American youth, Latino youth, poor youth of every race, are getting the kind of help that they need so that they know their numbers, their colors, their letters. Every dollar that we spend in early childhood education, we get $10 back in reduced dropout rates, and improved reading scores."

What does "already behind" mean?  How hard is it to catch up in school?  How hard is it to overcome that label attached to a young child that says "already behind" and "at risk"?

Comments

[spintreebob]

There's money in them there labels.

How often is a label used that does not lead to mo money?

Follow the money.

[jorod]

Sounds like the Eugenics people are making a comeback. With the help of politicians of course.

[Susan Ryan]

At a Fee-For-Service Initiatives Committee hearing in Springfield, the Dept of Public Aid spokesperson mention that all Illinois children that are in the Medicaid and DCFS systems are screened for ‘mental health’ via TeenScreen and the 2003 IL Childrens Mental Health Act. They were "excited" about it.
So yes, Jorod, eugenics has come to my mind too. In Ohio and no doubt in IL:
http://www.dispatch.com/live/contentbe/dispatch/2005/04/25/20050425-A1-00.html
Prescriptions on the rise even though they haven’t been tested on children

"Doctors prescribed sedatives and powerful, mood-altering medications for nearly 700 Ohio babies and toddlers on Medicaid last summer, according to a Dispatch review of records."

Keeps those little bodies groggy, and the OH administrator found that it was a "bargain".
"It's generally calming, has low side effects and is pretty inexpensive," said Bob Reid, pharmacy program director for Job and Family Services. It's a real bargain.""

Follow the money.