I found the article "On treating Hyperactive Children with Drugs" to be right on. The insight on school pressure to diagnosis and prescribe children is disturbing but accurate. The new "No Child Left Behind" legislation is an excellent example of a test driven system that not only excludes children with disabilities, but puts children in a competitive race towards conformity.
Most poignant to me, was the author’s recognition that the drugs may be effective in treating symptoms; however they may not be effective in creating a sense of will power and discipline. The message being sent to children is that these important aspects of character are not necessary it they can be circumvented with drugs.
The real issue that the author puts on the table is the need for educational reform. Children require an environment that engages them at an exploratory, creative level. Legislation such as “No Child Left Behind” suggests that the government is unwilling to put the funding in place to research true educational reform. Or maybe, just maybe, the government is afraid of a society that is educated to be free, creative thinkers.