Drugs To Control Classroom Behavior?

IN LATE June of 1970, the Wash ington Post reported that doctors in Omaha, Nebraska, were giving hundreds of school children so-called behavior modification drugs to make them "behave" better. Five days later Huntley-Brinkley featured a news story about the Omaha situation on their national news cast. These, as well as other news media, posed some very real concerns about possible misuse of various drugs designed to modify the behavior of overactive children. One of the major thoughts coming out of this issue questioned the right of educa tors, parents, school administrators, physi cians, and others to suggest that a child be given medication to modify his behavior. As many began debating and discussing this issue, one thing became clear: there is throughout the United States a gross mis understanding and consequent misuse of the psychopharmacologic process as it is used in attempting to modify the behavior of overactive youngsters.