Here are my thoughts.
Yes, ADHD is somewhat of an American construct. But look at WHY we treat kids for ADHD. It's predominantly because they're not doing well or acting out in school. But the response of schools in America is quite different than the response of schools in France.
The psycho-social response to ADHD in France suggests that they actually believe the parent is the parent, and that the best place to treat a child with behavioral problems is in the home.
In the USA, the child belongs to the village, and at least for two generations now, we have taught parents they are incompetent as parents, that they had better let the village raise and educate the child.
Melissa Harris-Perry (click here to see her ad on MSNBC) puts her finger right on it. But she isn't proposing that we ought to stop thinking about the kids being 'privately owned'. She's actually verbalizing what has been taught to parents.
Never mind that the village isn't much interested in feeding, clothing, or providing the child a place to sleep. If the child turns out well, then the school gets the kudos and points joyously to the nice test scores. If the child turns out badly, it's the parents' fault. My supporting argument: When did you ever see parents getting recognition for their children's test scores?
Certainly, then, schools have to use the resources available for adjusting a child's behavior. The family itself is not often in their tool box. American families run hither and yon to various child activities, and have little time for family activities. About half of American families don't have both parents under the same roof with the child. American families, intact or not, are often more interested in chasing the dollar than they are raising children. Schools are for babysitting while they go do that.
It is no wonder to me that schools recommend the use of drugs to control behavior.
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