The Circumvention of Public Law 94 -142 and Section 504: The Sorting and Controlling of Black Males

This study is a comprehensive investigation of the racial ramifications of psychotropic drugs used to control the undesired behavior of Black school age boys. The primary focus of the study examined how federal policy of Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) of 1975, (P.L. 94-142), known presently as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990, has become a gateway for the introduction of behavioral stimulant used with Black males as a mode for social control. In this study, 456 special education records from the local Champaign, Illinois Unit 4 School District was used to show the circumvention of IDEA, issues of social control of the White elite on Black males in regards to possible linkages with historical data of school use of control, punishment, and the placement of Black males within the special education bracket. Through the examination of the special education files, the tallied number of Black males within the special education category was determined. The preliminary results indicate that both White and Black males were disproportionately placed within the category of special education and prescribed psychotropic medication in comparisons to White and Black females. But, the results indicate that Both White and Black males within special education are placed for different reasons. White males are placed primarily due to only academic reasons, while Black males are placed for academic and behavior concerns. In fact, this is also observed within the reasoning for being prescribed medication as well.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Date dc:date

10000-01-01

Author dc:creator

• Fitzgerald, Terence Dwight

Contributors dc:contributor

• Laurence Parker

• Education, Sociology of

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3070302

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/79696