Re: [RANT] Giving Mind Control Drugs to Children

[smith@sctc.com (Rick Smith)]

At 8:01 PM 7/8/96, John F. Fricker wrote:

>Ever hear of home schooling?

Home schooling has its own set of disadvantages. I've done enough teaching
to respect it as a profession, especially when dealing with a small,
evolving set of students. I also respect my own limitations.

>Seems like if your child needs drugs to go to school than perhaps school is
>the problem not that your child's body lacks Ritalin.

I tend to agree, but it doesn't make the problem any easier to solve.
Another alternative to Ritalin would simply be to let him struggle with
school. It worked for me, I guess.

>So it happens that I was talking with a fellow Saturday who grew up on
>Ritalin. He's 36 now and strung out. Life with Ritalin prepared him for
>drugs, you know. They were natural.

I definitely see that as a risk. Without knowing how his parents and
associated medical gurus (if any) were managing the drug, it's hard to tell
if the situations are parallel.

Life without Ritalin prepared me for a life as a coffee addict, I guess.

Rick.