Cruz C. Castanon
The author contends that many troublesome children are mislabeled as seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) by schools that lack the ability or will to accommodate them. He specifically questions the practice of assigning SED labels to children whose problems reflect psychological maltreatment. Certainly such students display behavior that is contentious, strong-willed, and challenging. But placing them in programs that may be no more than deviance control is countertherapeutic. Grounding his discussion in the wisdom of anthropologist Ruth Benedict, the author calls for schools to create a niche where troublesome children can flourish.
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