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Old September 9th 06, 01:41 AM posted to misc.kids,misc.education,alt.parenting.solutions,misc.kids.health,alt.support.attn-deficit
nimue
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Posts: 645
Default Seeking straight A's, parents push for pills

Herman Rubin wrote:
In article .com,
Fred Goodwin, CMA wrote:
Seeking straight A's, parents push for pills


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14590058/


Pediatricians report increasing requests for 'academic doping'
By Victoria Clayton
MSNBC contributor


Updated: 10:16 a.m. CT Sept 7, 2006


A 15-year-old girl and her parents recently came in for a chat with
Dr. James Perrin, a Boston pediatrician, because they were concerned
about the girl's grades. Previously an A student, she was slipping
to B's, and the family was convinced attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder was at fault - and that a prescription for Ritalin would
boost her brainpower.


After examining the girl, Perrin determined she didn't have ADHD. The
parents, who had come in demanding a prescription, left empty-handed.


Perrin, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and
spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other
physicians say this is an increasingly common scenario in doctors'
offices around the country, though there are no hard statistics on
it.


Parents want their kids to excel in school, and they've heard about
the illegal use of stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall for
"academic doping." Hoping to obtain the drugs legally, they pressure
pediatricians for them. Some even request the drugs after openly
admitting they don't believe their child has ADHD.


I suggest that grades be abolished, except for advisory
purposes. Also, it should be understood that getting a
high grade and learning the important material may well
be at odds with each other.

Furthermore, I see nothing wrong with signing up for a
course and then deciding it is not worth completing. I
see nothing wrong with collecting a lot of D's and F's;
the straight-A student tends to be weak and shallow in
the important things.


Yeah. My straight-A kids are weak, shallow, and live meaningless lives,
while the kids who got Ds and Fs tend to be strong, deep, and are also
really in touch with the important things. Please. Most D and F kids are
lost, confused, and angry. I have seen countless straight-A students go on
to success and happiness. It's no guarantee, of course, but being able to
stay on the ball when a person is young is a pretty good indication that a
person will continue to do so when he or she is older. Failing in high
school doesn't mean a person will fail in life, but getting back on track
will be harder. Anyway, lord! What a stupid thing to say. Straight-A
students are shallow. You sound like a jealous kid with a 2.0 average. My
straight-A kids have rich souls. The D students do, too, for that matter.
So, what are these important things that failing students are so much better
at? I'd love to know.

--
nimue

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