Larry,
You are quite right in pointing out that there is no proof of a causal
relationship between removal of lead in the air and the increase in SAT
scores. I should have stated it more circumspectly. I did not mean it
to be read as a fact - only as a distinct possibility. Maybe teaching
got better.
In looking for more on the subject, I found a very interesting medical
study that makes the claim that crime rates are also related to lead.
See article by Judy Mann about the work of Herbert L. Needleman, of the
University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine at this web site.
http://www.heinzawards.net/articleDetail.asp?articleID=71
"He estimates that 11 to 38 percent of the nation's delinquency is
attributable to high lead exposure." As I read this, I am thinking there
may be other contributing variables that may not be fully accounted. I
suspected that the same living conditions that foster lead intake also
foster a number of other criminal influences. Needleman though of that
too. "Adjusting for such factors as race, parental education, occupation,
family size and crime rate in the neighborhood the youths came from, he
found those with high lead levels were twice as likely to be delinquent
than those with low levels."
One thing seems clear from medical science. Quite small levels of lead
in the blood of preschool children causes a small amount of brain
malfunction which in turn is apt to result in slightly lower school
performance. In many individual cases this does not cause any
noticeable health problems so it goes untested and
undetected. Most parents and teachers have no way to know when somebody
is doing B work when they could be doing A work. Needless to say, my
grandchildren who live in the historic neighborhood get annual blood
tests for lead at least until they are school age. There are now medical
treatments to remove lead. Once the brain damage occurs it is
irreversible. Unfortunately, many families in older housing are not that
aware of the problems. Needleman said behavior problems were hardly
noticed at age 7, but by age 11 children were showing lots of behavior
problems.
Marvin
At 06:47 AM 8/29/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Subject: From: Marvin Bartel <
>Population studies show that SAT scores have
>>responded favorably since the removal of lead from the traffic smog
in
>>cities.
>
>all information you shared Marvin was interesting and good, thanks.
This
>one point though I think is difficult. I mean...there are many
factors.
>Could be that SAT scores went up all over....could be they went up with
the
>Vietnam war ending. Who knows. Some might say that 18 was legal
drinking
>age back then, and that alcohol consumed among high school seniors may
have
>helped to raise scores. The problem with some studies like this is how
they
>interpret results. You can prove nearly anything you want to....
>
>Larry S.
>
>
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