Sins Of The Fathers

‘HAD Saddam Hussein been a better dad, his sons Uday and Qusay might never have embarked on a career of unremitting brutality, according to a leading academic.

‘You need a good smack,’ said the angry teacher. ‘Ruddy paedos are everywhere,’ thought William

Professor Priscilla Alderson says that children are being diagnosed as having special needs when all they need is a bit more parental attention.

In fact, normal childhood traits like restlessness and excitability could be ‘treated’ by traditional methods such as allowing children to play in parks and to climb trees.

‘Money is behind all this,’ Professor Alderson says. ‘Psychologists want the work, and lower the diagnosis threshold accordingly.

‘Playgrounds and parks are empty, because of the scare stories about abductions. But children need the space and freedom to play, run and climb – without that, they are restless, and come to be seen as abnormally ‘hyperactive’.

‘About eight children are murdered outside the home each year, compared with about 50 inside. Cooping up children inside homes is not going to do them any good.’

The Times says teachers have also complained about the number of children diagnosed as having special needs because it gives them an excuse to escape discipline.

‘When you give a kid a syndrome, you give him an excuse,’ said one special needs teacher.

If Just William (from the books by Richmal Crompton) had been at school today, he would have been swept off to see an educational psychiatrist, claims the Times.

And he and his gang would almost certainly have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and put on Ritalin.

And had Saddam given Uday and Qusay a cuddle every now and then, they might never have embarked on a career of indiscriminate rape, murder and torture.

‘

Posted: 28th, July 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink