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24
CASE HISTORY .
Daniel's young years were good. He was always very advanced
for his age and he liked to play with older children. He was able
to read before he started school. He also was a very good artist
at an early age. He was very independent and always wanted to do
things on his own; he did not want help.
KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 5TH GRADE
There seemed to be no problems. When he finished his school
work, he was allowed to do other things. While he was at home,
he was able to do homework, draw, and watch TV all at the same
time. He was a perfectionist - he settled- for nothing other than
"very well done."
6TH GRADE
His problems started immediately with his home-room teacher.
In her class he became very disruptive. I was called in frequently
for conferences. This teacher, Mrs. Burne, would put Daniel's desk
in the coat room away from the rest of the class. He was told repeatedly that he would be kept back because he was too immature to
go into Jr. High School She suggested that I take Daniel to a Dr.
and report to him how he was behaving. The Dr. gave Daniel pills.
After one week, I stopped giving him the pills as I did not feel
that they were doing him any good.
Daniel's math teacher sent him to a computer assisted training
program. He completed this course and received a certificate of
award. His art teacher had him in a project painting murals on
the gym walls. However, his constant troubles with Mrs. Burne
caused Daniel serious problems. He had terrible nightmares and
he would wake up screaming. I would have to take him into my room.
He did enjoy playing the guitar and pitching for Little League.
7TH GRADE
This was not a bad year in school. He loved his guitar
playing and he continued to enjoy the Little League and he
was selected for All-Stars. These things kept him going.
8TH GRADE
This was a very bad year. I had so many conferences. Daniel
was always in the principal's office. I was told that I had to
punish Daniel so I kept him in the house after school. His biggest problem was that he disrupted the class. In order for him to
advance to the ninth grade, he had to go to surmmer school.
9TH GRADE
A disaster for Daniel He did not get along with his math
teacher. He was more disruptive than ever in the class. He loved
his English teacher and did very well with her. He did not have
to take his English exams at the end of the first quarter because
of his high average.
2
CASE HISTORY
The principal decided to change all of Daniel's classes because
of his problems with the math teacher. Daniel refused to work because he had been removed from the classes he had been in. He often
bunked school or walked our of classes. At one of the many conferences that I was having, I was told that because Daniel had been talk-
ing with the girl who sat behind him, the teacher ripped up Daniel's
paper. Daniel claimed it was not he talking, that it was the girl.
The teacher, however, insisted it was all Daniel's fault. Daniel did
swear at this teacher. The principal never did keep his promise to
place Daniel into the classes from which he had been removed.
Daniel did his math in the principal's office. When he went into
his art class, the teacher asked his name. When he told her who he
was, she said, "That does not sound like a good student's name." Again,
Daniel was sent to the principal's office. Daniel did not have any
more art and he did love it so much. When I attempted to get some
answer from the principal why this was allowed to happen he would
talk of something else. Daniel was feeling that he was being constantly humiliated and he did not want to go to school. I was told
that he required some counseling. I made an appointment with Family
Services and we did get some counsel. They saw Daniel alone and then
talked to us together. It was at this time I requested to have
Daniel tested at the school. This was because I wanted to know his
IQ. I was denied this request.
By this time I was so frustrated I began to scream, punish Daniel
and I had many crying spells. One time my sister was with me at a
conference at the school. She told me that the teachers hated my boy.
When we mentioned this to school people, we were told that when Daniel
changed his attitude, maybe they would like him. Daniel had to go to
summer school to make up his English.
lOTH GRADE
The very first week of class my boy started to have detention.
He was in a lower English group. Daniel did not want to go to what
he called a "dumb" class. Off he was sent to the principal's office.
After three weeks in the English class, the teacher said Daniel belonged in a higher division. This was done. Daniel's detention was
ever increasing. He was in it every night and his behavior continued
to be bad. He was threatened by the principal - he was told that he
would send him to family court and have him removed from the school
system. The principal also told me to severely punish my son. I
told him I did not know how to punish him any more severely than I had
been doing right along.
At this time Daniel has an ulcer and he is always feeling ill.
He is also frightened, feels liks a failure, and that he belongs no
where. He is a nervous wreck. 5 cannot take anymore of this and I
know my son will be lost if something is not done for him.
October 1979
3.
CASE HISTORY
Comments by Marie Friedel
I am being reminded that there is a great deal being done for
the gifted child. I am told that things have changed in these
past 16 years. Why, then, is this boy, in 1979 being so mistreated,
miseducated and misunderstood? Why was he denied the art classes he
longed to have? Why are he and his mother so full of fears? All
of what has gone on in the case of Daniel is repeated history. I
have been accused of being too abusive in my approach in fighting for
the rights of the gifted children. Is it possible to be too agressive
when we want to stop the destruction of gifted children in systems
that either cannot or will not assist these youngsters?
THERE IS NEED FOR CAREFUL, SYSTEMATIC IDENTIFICATION IN ALL
SCHOOLS. MANY SCHOOLS MAKE NO EFFORT TO LEARN WHO THE GIFTED
ARE AND STILL OTHERS MAKE THE ATTEMPT IN SUCH HAPHAZARD FASH-
ION THAT THE RESULTS HAVE LITTLE RELIABILIITY AND STILL LESS
USEFULNESS .
The above statement can be found in a book that was published
by The University of Chicago Press in 1950. This book THE EXCEPTION-
AL CHILDREN prepared by the National Society for the Study of
Education should be read by all those who are interested in our
ending the abuse of children like Daniel. All the mistakes made in
the case of Daniel are discussed in detail in this book. All the
DO NOTS are in print as well as the solutions. The treatment given
Daniel's mother is also there. It is a shame that she has had to
endure such agony at the hands of ignorant educators. When I am angry
with officials of this state, I am repeatedly reminded that "change
is slow." I have studied what to do and not do to assist gifted children in books that date back to 1920. For those who say I have been
too abusive to our leadership, I say that I have not fought hard
enough for these complex, sensitive children.
There are those who say all children are gifted. Many of the
people who have written this or who believe it are warm and compass-
ionate people. They are not aware of the damage they do to individuals
when they make this statement. It is alright to know that all children are special but it is downright abusive to say that all children are gifted. This is a sure way of allowing the torment of the
gifted and creative children to go on and on. I have said over and
over that gifted children suffer and when the communities are made
aware of this by the leadership we will begin to see support for this
minority. I attempted to deal with the school authorities in the
case of Daniel. Their attitudes towards this boy and his mother is
unforgivable. I must agree with the psychiatrist Matt Dumont when he
claims, "I have come to believe that the first and highest responsibility of professionals is to prevent facism." I join him in attacking the arrogance of the professionals who assist in providing tools
for control of social deviance.
Freedom is expensive and we must fight to maintain it. It is
the adults who have to help our children to be free. This is the
Interaational Year of the Child. Every year has been the year of
the child at the National Foundation for Gifted and Creative Children.
24
THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS TESTIMIONY
THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION
FOR
BY November 28, 1979 1. The Impact of Discrimination Against Children Our organization appreciates the opportunity to be heard in behalf of our advocacy stand regarding the rights of gifted and creative children in our state and nation. Because of our persistence and vigorous support of the child, we see this year which is being celebrated as "The International Year of the Child", as an extension of a responsibility already embraced by the foundation since its inception. We have written many papers which cover the definition of the gifted, how their special needs can be met, and the characteristics these children possess. Today I will attempt to speak to tbe topic that has been chosen by those who made this forum possible. What is the Impact of Discrimination and Alienation of our most gifted children? The suppression of our nation's creative minority brings on revolutionl In the past 70 years there has been a great many writings published in which brilliant rhetoric repetitiously argues for the im- proved treatment of our most oppressed minority, our gifted and creative people. None of this, has to date. made a difference in the lives of most of these youngsters. For the most part, these papers were more successful in placating the conscience of the educators. Recognizing this failure, concerned researchers in the field called for new directions that appeared to be essential if we were to end the on-going destruction of human potential. In May, 1955. Dr. T. Ernest Newland from the University of Illinois, elaborated upon this theme in an article published in The Journal for Exceptional Children. He said, "It may well be argued that too much research on the gifted has been done in schools and universities for teachers and professors. There is need for research geared heavily to those outside the ivory towers. The type of study now to be proposed should be made for the purpose of getting facts which will sharpen the perceptions of the lay public, as well as no small number of educators, to the need for special social and educational provisions for the gifted." The National Foundation for Gifted and Creative Children has compiled data which responds to the author's request. Our collection of case histories of bright children is living proof of examples of students who were so rendered to excessive daydreaming or to aggressive behavior in schools that their teachers thought them stupid. Our nation is full of apathetic, intellectual delinquents of people who work at jobs of dull routine because they were denied an opportunity which might have enabled them to be in occupations that challenged their talents. We have facts that prove many of our youth who are fighting their government, becoming clever criminals or developing habits which lead to self-destruction are young people who had the ability to excel but felt discriminated against because of prejudices and misunderstandings that work against the gifted child. Many of these case histories reflect the present problems that face America today. Frequently, children who suffer because of "the tyranny of the group" seek bizarre cults, and extreme hate movements as a relief of the pain they endure because of social and personal rejection they experienced as a child. Too many Americans are reluctant to stress this aspect of the neglect of the gifted. We are so ready to believe that our democratic tradition is strong and loyally adhered 2. The Impact of Discrimination Against Children to by our educational leadership. There are many dangers that result when there is denial of equal opportunity for full development of our brightest children. I have emphasized prevention in the past and I emphasize it here today. We are a people without vision when we act in crisis and not in prevention. The media has recently described me as a woman who has battled the state's educational establishment for 16 years. I must battle a state whose leadership has demanded compromises which discourage citizen participation in governmental bureaucracies. I must fight those professionals who cringe at the prospects of dealing with educated citizens who share expertise in their jealously guarded specializations. In Rhode Island there is a climate which encourages stagnant dogma and discourages creative change. How often, in Rhode Island, does the minority suffer at the hands of the majority? There must be a return to the basics that underline the birth of America. All of us must fight for our personal freedoms. While it is our duty to fight against religious bigotry of any kind, it is also our duty to oppose reversed bigotry. The political leadership of our state exhibits a lack of courage when they cater to the majority's ideology that frowns upon independent thinking. How does this effect some of our creative children? It can encourage some of our creative children's responses to be repressed through the use of prescription drugs. All who love children denounce this ugliest of all acts against children who may see things in different ways. I continue to be intimately involved with individual cases of gifted children who are in serious trouble. Many of these youngsters are experiencing emotional distress, indulging in delinquent behavior or are depressed to the point of contemplating suicide. Our ed- ucational leadership has heard all of this before. It is very frustrating to me to find that while some of our leaders agree with me in private conversations, they possess timidity in speaking out in public. A young boy I am assisting at this time has the potential to become an artist, an academic scholar or a mechanical genius. The abuse that this young boy has been subjected to for a number of years is so abhorrent that even the most insensitive would shudder to hear of the mistreatment he has endured at the hands of educators because he is gifted. If this boy acts out against the society because he does not fit the mold, why will he face the Family Court Judge alone? It occurs to me that one of our highly paid educators who, through omission, hava contributed to the boy's problems and should be standing in front of the judge also. I have used every democratic process possible to deliver a message. Our entire community will support the gifted when they realize how these children suffer. In view of all we know of how to prevent anti-social behavior in gifted children, why can't our educational leadership be accused of criminal negligence? The Impact of Discrimination Against Children The treating of non-conformity as high treason does not fit into our nation's philosophy. The schools have failed our gifted and creative children. As a result, all children are hurt. When we provide for our gifted an entire system is up-graded. When our children are led to believe that to be an individual is a vice and to take an unpopular view is to be subjected to repression, they will rebel. Creative children see flaws in the system and often resist blind authority. When these perceptive, sensitive children feel as outcasts in a group, they must be removed from the group. Parents are becoming more-!and more en- lightened and they see the dangers of relinquishing their responsibilities to others who may be far less educated than the parents themselves. The educated with proper degrees who lack social integrity are a menace to the child and to the health of our nation. Our group is appalled to know that parents who wish to spare their youngsters from institutions that do not reflect democratic principles are being arrested and charged with criminal behavior. The compulsory attendance law is on shaky ground and must be challenged. When education became compulsory, it became a bill of rights issue . We are imploring this group of prestigious leaders in the State of Rhode Island to consider this treatment of parents who cherish their children as totally unacceptable in our free society. Recently, a parent, a foundation aide and myself met with educators for the purpose of trying to encourage a different educational environment for a student. This parent has informed me that for years she has feared these school authorities. The boy had described to me the reasons why, as he puts it, "In school I am full of hate." The subject of how the boy might be assisted with his school problems was left unanswered. These educators who met with us are victims of ignorance and defensive mindedness which leads them to behave in a facist-like way. I was commanded not to write a report concerning this boy that might include any assessment of "their school". We, the people, must have the freedom to check the powers that be without the threat (be it subtle or overt) that our voices must be silenced. We all make mistakes but we should gain wisdom and learn from them. John Gardner has said that one of the difficulties in America today is that too many people in leadership positions spend 100 percent of their energies tending the present operation. Instead, if they spent some percent less than 100, they would have a little time and energy to use for improving the existint operation. It was never my intention to battle the heads of state. It was and will remain my intent to stop the mis-use of our gifted and creative children. Our foundation has worked under severe handi-caps, yet, we know that we have made progress. We have many solutions to the problems that must be solved. We continue to seek new ways to help the children we love so much. Our troubled youngsters need your full consideration and love. There is no doubt in my mind that a reconciliation between the state and the foundation would benefit our youngsters. However, this reconciliation cannot be riddled with compromises that remove the purity of our mission. Ladies and gentlemen; creativity is love and caring; all our children require both from each and every one of us.
Respectfully submitted
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