Nearly 1 In 20 US Adults Over 50 Has A Fake Knee
Monique Ruffin: The Journey to Very Poor
A fear of schools
Filed under: Teens, Weird But True, Day Care & Education
I wouldn't call it fear, but I probably do have a phobia regarding creams and lotions. I get pretty wigged out when I have to deal with them. This also applies to foods like sour cream and soft cheeses. Still, this isn't the most unusual phobia I've heard of. Take, for example, the case of seventeen-year-old Rebecca Maykish of Palmerton, Pennsylvania.Rebecca suffers from acute school phobia. She hasn't attended school regularly since the fourth grade because the thought of going makes her sick. One psychiatrist reported that she suffers from a "generalized anxiety disorder" that includes the fear of school. Her education has consisted of a mix of in-home tutoring and special schools -- paid for by the local public school district.
In 2004, the state ordered the school district to set up a compensatory education fund to make up for a thousand hours of missed instruction, at $45 per hour. Yes, that's $45,000 that Rebecca's mom gets to spend on her education, however she sees fit. These sorts of funds are common for students with special needs -- physical disabilities, life threatening health conditions, or cognitive disabilities.
Rebecca's mother has used the funds for teen magazines, modeling classes, and summer camp. She has, of late, opted not to home school her daughter because of concerns that she might not be able to help her with math and writing problems. The result is that her math and writing skills are lacking.
There have been more than a hundred fines levied for truancy; Barbara Maykish will be paying them off at $35/month for the next thirty years. Meanwhile, at age 17, one option for Rebecca is to drop out, but she says she still wants to earn a diploma. And, because she has gone a year without any formal schooling, her mother wants another compensatory education fund.
I don't doubt that Rebecca has an issue with going to school. Whatever the cause, it is apparently debilitating. The right thing to do, however, is not to flitter about taking the occasional modeling class, but to arrange for a tutor and get down to business. I suspect the mother lacks the drive to make sure that happens, though. I feel sorry for this girl who has been denied a real education and for the school district who tried to provide it for her.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-20-2008 @ 1:34PM
ame s said...Stories like that really get my goat. Someone who is too anxious to go to school gets $45,000, but my gifted children only receive 2 hours of gifted instruction a week. I'm not suggesting we take funds from those with disabilities, but how about we spend just as much for those who are academically superior?
Reply
5-20-2008 @ 3:14PM
Karen said...I just don't understand why they didn't arrange for Rebecca to have cyber-schooling. There are so many choices in PA, and you work from home on a computer, working with real teachers on a real curriculum. I have extensively researched cyber-schooling, as I am considering it for my own son with special needs.
Rebecca and her mother should have to reimburse the Palmerton area taxpayers for the money they basically misappropriated. The girl still cannot write or do math properly, and that is just plain sad.
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5-20-2008 @ 7:35PM
Jennifer said...Sounds like Mom may have some trouble focusing and dealing with people herself...
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5-20-2008 @ 8:49PM
Karen said...And all I want is a voucher so I can choose which school fits the needs of my child who is both gifted and has special needs. Heck, my other child is also gifted and has not been challenged in a school setting yet. Again, a voucher would be very helpful in meeting her needs.
But Nooooo......
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