I'm not defending Russian schools. But please allow me one point. Your sister in law visited places there. Alona and both her parents have been teachers all their lives. They lived in Odessa, the most famous seaport city of the former Soviet Union. I'd say their familiarity with this subject is greater than your sister-in-law's. No offense, but I think you must give me this point.

Your sister-in-law probably visited institutions that were very troubled and that's why they invited consultants. They want help, so they showed her their most needy cases. It's a similar situation with their orphanages. But this isn't the way it is everywhere in Russia.

I can show you a lot of troubled spots in America too. So a comparison of the worst of the worst is probably a wash.

I'm not making a case that Russia is better than America, far from it. If asked for a political opinion, I'd say that socialism is an unworkable ideal that creates an unnatural and unsuccessful system. I'd say it is a recipe for failure, and that's why Russia is relatively poor. It has 70 years of economic stagnation to overcome, and a lot of catching up to do. I'd also say that the more socialized America allows itself to become, the more we will go this way too. The more programs we socialize, the more we will go from strength to lethargy, and then we will be victims of our own sloth. But I didn't realy want to get into a political debate. I am actually just empathizing with our friend, that he is having trouble with the system. It is failing him. I think it is because "the system" cannot help our friend, and it just gets in his way.

My point is that we have no right to allow the school systems to do anything but teach. Once they get into the treatment of emotional or mental disorders, religion, poilitics or anything else, they are hopelessly lost.

So by my line of reasoning, they should give a tax refund to families with disabled children and allow them to find a school that can help them. Don't make families pay for schools that cannot teach their kids.

And damn sure don't let them continue to diagnose children. That's not what they're there for. I don't think it's fair to ask that of the school staff, nor do I think it works very well for the kids.