An initial overview of the concept of ESN-M, the politics of IQ and the West Indian ‘grievance’

This chapter provides an overview of the emergence of the concept of educational subnormality (ESN). It presents an examination of some of the political uses towards which intelligence quotient (IQ) has been put, to suggest that it is not necessarily the objective scientific tool of 'diagnosis' that practitioners sometimes present. Although IQ is an easily comprehensible vehicle of diagnosis to describe 'what is' an ESN child, testing techniques have probably played a larger part in legitimating the increased power of psychologists in the decision-making processes than anything else. The chapter presents the history of the West Indian 'grievance' that 'too many' of their children are referred, assessed and sent to mild educational subnormality (ESN-M) schools, is documented. The Warnock Report, with its emphasis on the future employability of 'handicapped' children, also illustrates the dilemma that the economy needs as many profitable, and as few idle, members of society as possible.