Pubdate: Sun, 31 Dec 2000
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2000 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202
Fax: (303) 820.1502
Website: http://www.denverpost.com/
Forum: http://www.denverpost.com/voice/voice.htm
Author: Annie Kelvie
Note: Annie Kelvie is a 15year-old sophomore at Heritage High School.

LET KIDS BE KIDS

Dec. 31, 2000 - Peering into my crystal ball, this psychic-in-training sees 
endless possibilities for the coming year. In the past year, we've had a 
lot of strange things happen; so if that was any indication, we're all in 
for a wild ride. Developers could possibly preserve some of our rapidly 
receding wilderness. If we're lucky, George W. might actually accomplish 
something other than beating all of his PlayStation 2 games. Heck, while 
we're at it, maybe Hanson will finally get some real recognition.

I can dream, can't I?

With November's passage of Amendment 20 - legalizing the use of medical 
marijuana in Colorado - big questions were raised about the use of drugs - 
questions that should draw our attention in the coming year.

More specifically, the plight of the voiceless and doped-up elementary 
school masses. Two million children in the United States are being subdued 
by the too-widely-prescribed "calming" drug Ritalin. School-age children 
are given the drug so they can better concentrate. But is this drugging out 
really necessary? School-age boys and girls are natu rally full of energy, 
full of life. They love to laugh and live, and coming from this hyperactive 
child, no kid wants to be subdued. But parents and educators take it upon 
themselves to stifle kids' personalities, to turn them into miniature 
adults who are able to sit and study quietly and with more focus. Perhaps 
the reason for this over-prescription can be attributed to the stress and 
fast times of modern life; parents and teachers are strung out about 
over-work, under-pay and the speed of society. They simply may not possess 
the patience for the normal behavior of a child. Because of this 
dependency, Ritalin production is up 700 percent since 1990.

Whatever the reason for the trend, childhood is a short few years when 
goofy joking and silly mischief can and should be enjoyed without 
consequence, even if it does mean a little less productivity in the classroom.

Just because it's harder to deal with a lively child doesn't mean that 
Ritalin is the answer. Perhaps it's time public schools find ways to reach 
out to children who don't learn from standardized tests and endless 
lectures. Perhaps we should go back in time to the day of the science fair 
and the class historical play; activities in which learning can happen, 
energy can be burned, and which will keep alive the spark for learning that 
is increasingly being lost.

On top of taking away energy and unique personalities, the hypocrisy of the 
Ritalin phenomenon is unbelievable. Kids take this personality-altering 
drug, and then their parents send them off to DARE, where they are taught 
that anyone who tries a joint will become a crazy drug addict. Of course, 
Ritalin should be prescribed only to those with true attention deficit 
problems, but the use of the drug as a crutch to make teachers' and 
parents' lives more convenient is wrong, and it should be stopped. The 
challenge is to harness the hyperactive creativity and make it positive.
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