“I remember it like it was yesterday. The student was standing in front of me, referral in hand. He had been referred for special needs testing. As he is standing there, I am having an internal dialogue with myself. I knew in my spirit I was not looking at a true learning dis ability. There is no way he wouldn’t test ADHD, I thought. I knew what I was looking at was the manifestation of childhood trauma.” Dr. Ivy Bonk
The initial epiphany of the injustice of misdiagnosis is what has driven Dr. Ivy Bonk since 2008. She has conducted research, developed program, designed trainings, authored, and innovated solutions, all in an effort to bring awareness to the systemic inequities perpetuated and exacerbated by the impact of unaddressed trauma early and from within the family collective. When Dr. Bonk realized that the injustice of misdiagnosis was happening at disproportionate rates for students of color, this became an area of focus. One of the results of this injustice is what has been coined the school to prison pipeline. Dr. Bonk believes she has insight on how to address. If you are interested in obtaining the journal article entitled Reforming Juvenile Justice Requires Innovating Equity in Education, click the button below.