Should we expel students with mental health issues?

Question

Please give reasons =]

Answer 1

No

1) It is unjust. No one should be punished for something they haven't done. Denying people with mental health issues an education based on an isolated incident or two is an extreme over-reaction.

2) it is discriminatory. People with mental health issues face considerable discrimination in society anyway. Such a policy would exacerbate this to their material harm.

3) Not everyone with mental health issues is identified, and you are just as likely to miss a potential killer as you are to catch one.

Answer 2

In my opinion, no.

1. It is discrimination. If it's a medical treatment, it's discrimination. If you just think someone has a mental problem, it still is. Schools can get into heavy lawsuits if they expel based on a student's mental health.

2. Everyone has the right to education, even mentally-handicapped students. Would you expel someone in a wheelchair just because they're in a wheelchair and can't, say, throw a basketball or do chemistry tests? A mental illness doesn't always get compared to a physical impairment, but they are both impairments on the body.

3. In America, there is this law called 'No Child Left Behind'. It applies to children with mental health issues, too.

Answer 3

As a special ed instructor, I can say that there is a wide spectrum of mental health issues. If the child is a danger to himself or others, there needs to be intervention. Expulsion would have to come as an extreme measure to an extreme situation. And nobody should have the authority to expel any child without "educational follow-up". Thank God for 504's and IEPs.
Also, I have children ask "why am I suspended for -------and so and so never gets anything done to them?" Not a black and white area at all.

Answer 4

My daughter has an EBD caused from anxiety. She had violent reactions in the school setting. At times she was an endangerment to herself, and possibly, but not intentionally could hurt others.

The schools solution instead of finding out what triggered her anxiety and building an appropriate plan was to suspend her with the intention of expulsion. She was in the 2nd grade.

She is now in the 7th grade. She is severely behind other students and struggles harder than she needs to in order to keep up. This only exasperates her anxiety.

After suing the school district, they finally got her the evaluations she rightly deserved. I was appalled to find out the district knew of these professionals but did not bother to recommend them. I was trying every venue possible to get her the education she deserved and the help she needed.

She is doing much better now that she has the professionals she needs. The important thing to remember, no matter whether a child has a mental health disorder or not, is all children will eventually become adults.

When we kick them out of schools, we are dooming them to a life of trying to get by without the educational tools to be successful. They eventually burden everyone, by ending up on welfare, in the criminal justice system, or institutionalized.

It is our obligation, morally and legally to provide them a free, appropriate education. We also need to teach them the importance of mental health treatment and to arm them with the skills to continue that treatment into adulthood.

When we let them down, they eventually come back to haunt all of us. I fought for my daughter in court. We came to an agreeable settlement. However, I have met many parents who either don't know, can't afford, or who are too overwhelmed to take on the same fight. We need to force schools to step up and do the right thing. Parental education, finances, or ability should not be the determining factors in who gets and education.

Answer 5

No, It all depends on the severity of the mental illness the student has. There is no way to generalize this question. What happened at VT was the fault of the quack shrinks to begin with. They should never have bought his phoney story about his writings, videos and photos being satire. Shrinks have a long history of screwing everything up, now it is long overdue that they get thrown out of the medical professional ONCE AND FOR ALL.

Answer 6

no, that is a really bad idea. It would be the same as expeling students in wheel chairs! If you don't let people with mental health issues go to school and partisipate in mainstreem activitys they will feel isolated which can lead to worse mental illness.

Answer 7

You have to bring the parents in and also invite other experts like psycologists etc. Let them know that their kids can not stay in regular schools but need to move to special schools. You dont just expel them, that doesnt go down well. My daughter was in a regular school but we have moved her to a special school once we realised that she needed help.
There could be shame and stigma if kids are expelled so it has to be handled well.
BUT NO SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD SHOULD BE EXPELLED. They should be advised to change school

Answer 8

Not hardly. That kind of bigoted ignorant attitude went out decades ago. I'm surprised anyone would still ask the question--it is no different than asking if we should expel black people from schools.

Some--a minority--of students with psychiatric disabilities--might need to attend a special school geared to handle behavioral problems tha ta regular school isn't equipped to handel. But that's all.

Answer 9

Who are you? Mental health issues can be controlled with the proper therapy and medication. These persons also need to have an unconditional support network. Shame on you

Answer 10

You would be in direct violation of Special Education law. Every child, from birth, is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education. Why would anyone want to deny a special needs individual access to whatever help they are entitled to? It's all about making the best of each person's strengths and abilities.