I was one of the children used to standardize the IQ tests back 55 years ago. On one test, I didn't pay attention to where the marks were supposed to go for the answers, and my IQ tested to 80 or so. The school people put me in a class for retarded children and suggested to my mother that I be institutionalized!

When she asked to see the test, they refused. When asked to recall what I had done, it was finally discovered that I had ignored the instructions on how to mark my answers and had done my own thing (typical, I might add). So I guess as far as following directions was/is concerned, I really am retarded!

By the way, we had to change school districts in order to escape the "retarded" rubric. Once marked on my cumulative record, it was there to stay.

What if a child is tested and incorrectly labeled as mentally unhealthy or retarded? What if our social definition of "sane" is itself crazy? Who has the right to determine "normal" or "sane"? Personally, I think many of the recent decisions by our public leaders are non-sane, but I guess if the majority decided it was in alignment with reality....