With all these arguments about steroids, it got me thinking; there are drugs that can make you better at school, right? There are enough drugs, over the counter and not, that can help you focus and "perform" better at school. I for one, take a form of Ritalin because it helps a lot in my ability to consciously focus both during homework and out in my community. I can't even count the number of times I've felt the need to just blurt out what was on my mind but felt it much easier to control myself during a time when I was on my meds. However, as it goes for all good things, there exists this need to abuse or at least misuse them. Many stories have been passed around talking about kids getting ADD/ADHD medicine to get that "extra edge" before they study or go in for a test. I've even been asked to sell some of mine to individuals who wanted to be able to either focus better or just get higher grades on a test.
So I ask you, my readers, should there be drug testing before kids take the SAT or ACT? If we're talking about unfair advantages, then we certainly should seriously consider implementing this. Honestly, thousands of dollars and the futures of millions of kids' lives are at stake here. Can we truly risk consciously allowing jacked up scores or skewed curves for the entire country? We already have in place ways of allowing those who are allowed certain priviliges based on disabilities (none of which I've appealed to, by the way, as I've never felt the need or desire to be accommodated any differently than my other colleagues in an academic realm), however, are we prepared to come to terms with the fact that there are means, and means used by kids who aren't sometimes old enough to drive, for a student to get an unfair advantage over their peers of similar ability or work ethic?
Finally, and herein lies my final point, what are we telling our next generation if we don't respond appropriately to this issue? If we are not content to let our athletes, those who are paid to play a game, buy and sell what are seen by some to be beneficial drugs; what can we be showing to our children other than applied hypocrisy by looking the other way?
2 comments:
Awesome.
One comment:
Lie to Me. :)
Yep, that's what inspired me to write this and do the research about it. I wanted to find out how big a deal it was and I was surprised to find how prevalent it's been.
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