![]() It is not legal advice. I am not your lawyer. ![]() * From Middle English 'refūsen', meaning "to reject as foolish, unworthy, etc., forsake, despise". (Oxford English Dictionary, online edition., n.d.).ĭisclaimer: This post is intended solely as an invitation for informal discussion on a topic of mutual interest. ![]() How about "Psychological Barrier to School Attendance" (SBSA). The term 'school refusal' also perpetuates the pernicious, stigmatic, and false belief that mental health impairments are, at some level, character flaws or moral failings, or simply common challenges that everyone struggles with from time to time that can be readily overcome with fortitude, self-discipline, and hard work.Īnd so, I want a new term to replace 'school refusal' and I'd welcome any suggestions. And it's not her job to figure all that out. She might not even recognize that she's struggling with a treatable disease. But she might not know what that could look like or that her school must provide all of the necessary accommodations and services. So, when a student can't make it in to school because, for example, she is locked in the bathroom most mornings vomiting from a panic atack, or can’t get out of bed to shower and get dressed because of her major depressive disorder, she is not engaging in an act of defiance or refusal. Most likely she wants to attend school, at least in theory, under different circumstances. Section 504 makes no distinction between physical and mental health impairments. We'd call it "school's refusal" in reference to complying with federal civil rights laws. ![]() But if a student with a wheelchair is absent from a school that won't build a ramp, we wouldn't call that "school refusal". It clearly implies a volitional act. In the educational context, 'refusal' further connotes misconduct and defiance of authority.Ī student found getting high in the 7-Eleven parking lot during school hours might reasonably be accused of 'school refusal' after an educational disability has been ruled out. The dictionary definition of 'refuse' is "to decline to do something to express or show determination not to do something."*. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |