Eagle Forum
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Know Your State Law, Parent Advises
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Although West Virginia's education code mandates the pre-enrollment screening of young children for hearing, vision and speech and language, it does not mandate developmental screenings, which include "psycho-social" or behavior screenings. County boards of education are required to provide these screenings only upon request by parents.
However, at least one West Virginia county's pre-enrollment form fails to indicate that these behavior screenings are voluntary. The pre-enrollment form for Fayette County, where Paul Johnston attended school, provides space for "Behavior" screening results along with "Hearing," "Vision," "Speech/Language" and "Dental," as though all were mandatory. "There is nothing on the form to indicate to an unsuspecting parent that her child is not required by law to have a behavior screening in order to enroll in kindergarten," notes one mother, "yet these screenings can set the wheels in motion for Medicaid-funded 'treatment' before a child ever sets foot in the classroom. Parents should acquaint themselves with their state laws."  |
