A Fictional Psychiatric Case Review of Donny T.

The Principal called to inform Donny's mother that her son was in his office again. He advised her that Donny had been expelled. She was to pick the 5th grader up immediately and meet with school
staff the following morning. Her husband was out of town on business, as he often was, but she agreed to come in and speak for both of them.

Donny had been given frequent time-outs and suspensions in the past, and his mother had attended numerous meetings with the school social worker assigned to her son. Donny's mother and her husband had consulted with numerous child psychiatrists who had diagnosed Donny with an Attention Deficit Disorder and a Conduct Disorder. Despite medication trials Donny's troubling behaviors continued.

That night Mrs. T called her husband to discuss the school situation and help her prepare for the meeting. His response was one of anger toward the school, swearing about their incompetence and demanding that she threaten them with a lawsuit. She wanted to focus on their son's behavior, but he'd have nothing to do with it.

The next morning she went to the Principal's office for the meeting. The school staff were already seated at a large conference table. As greetings were extended, and she took the sole empty seat, the social worker handed her a piece of paper. It outlined a list of behaviors that had led to Donny's expulsion:

1. Daily class disruptions.
2. Verbal assaults. He'd made frequent racial slurs and inappropriate comments regarding physical attributes or deformities and intellectual challenges of other students. He had pet names (“fatty,” “dummy”, etc.) for classmates and teachers he perceived as not adulating him.
3. A lack of empathy toward others. He'd shown a lack of remorse after ridiculing fellow students and little concern with any of their struggles, especially those he'd induced. In fact, when they'd pleaded with him to stop he'd only increase his attacks.
4. Intimidation. He was the ringleader of a group that isolated and taunted fellow students.
5. Physical assaults supported. Although he'd never engaged in physical assaults himself, he often inflamed a group to act on his behalf until classmates were pushed or beaten.
6. Projection of blame. When confronted about his behavior he'd demonstrate an uncanny ability to deflect any responsibility, instead pointing to the inadequacies of others. He'd done this with fellow students, teachers, the school nurse, the social worker, and even the Principal.
7. Self-aggrandizement. He wasn't the least bit shy in telling other students and adults how superior he was, how much money his father made, how large a house he lived in. He particularly seemed to relish in letting those know who had little in comparison.
8. Disingenuousness. With his red hair and freckles, Donny appeared charming and appealing. A fellow student once told the Principal that Donny was a “Venus Flytrap.”
9. Lying. Donny's stories could change at a moment's notice. He would tell whatever story appeared to support his position at the time, even if it was opposite of a story he'd told moment's earlier.
10. The final straw. The mother of Donny's classmate had called the school social worker to inform her that her daughter had been so traumatized by Donny's relentless bullying that she was too afraid to return to school. When the social worker sat down with Donny to discuss this he exclaimed “Don't blame me. Agatha's a liar!”

The school had had enough. Donny was expelled. His mother, though heartbroken, followed the instructions of her husband and threatened the school with legal action. Donny's father called during the meeting with the promise of a large donation, but neither attempt was effective, and Donny's mother was left with the question as to how she and her husband could help their son.

But the two question I would ask today: Why isn't the majority of our electorate horrified that a candidate for the Presidency has personality characteristics entirely in line with those of this deeply disturbed eleven-year-old? And how could this child be expelled but the adult potentially elected?