Mentally Disturbed Teacher

JOSEPH T. SHIPLEY, a former teacher in the N.Y. City school system (he taught for 43 years) has studied mental disability in the teaching profession, and whereas it is no more prevalent than in other walks of life, the strain of the overcrowded classroom today does contribute, and often administrators overlook or tolerate those who are no longer fit. Shipley studied some 44 school systems of all kinds, and after a short introduction and a definition of terms, devotes almost all of this study to the behavioral symptoms and case illustrations of mental disturbance; the inability to control a class; the use of misuse of punishment; irritability; over-strictness; hostility; delusions, disorderliness; kleptomania sexual deviations. He proposes another kind of that of the public in supporting mental health programs; an improvement of conditions; and a more careful screening before and surveillance later of teaching personnel… Without questioning Shipley’s intentions, it is hard to think that the market for a book like this a strictly professional one – is as unaware as he assumes. And certainly many psychiatrists would like to believe that there is an “80% likelihood of recovery if is promptly treated”.

Some comments

Our classes contain 2 million more children than they properly have room for, taught by 90 thousand teachers not properly equipped to teach.” “State of the Union” Message January 30, 1961 President John F. Kennedy

“We certainly cannot expect to develop well-adjusted future citizens unless we begin by staffing our classrooms with well-adjusted teachers. There is no reason to expect that teachers unable to conquer their own personality handicaps will be of much help in developing healthy-minded students.” Dr. K. Richard Johnson, President, National College of Education

“It is well known that problem teachers make problem children. By the same token, a teacher who is well adjusted goes far toward helping children achieve and retain good attitudes.” Dr. Earl James McGrath, United States Commissioner of Education