In an article dramatically titled, "The Death of Preschool," in the November/December 2011 issue of Scientific American Mind, Paul Tullis attempts to establish a link between "direct instruction" and a host of psychological and physical ailments that preschool children may suffer later in life due to "toxic stress". Without clearly establishing what he means by "direct instruction," Tullis makes the claim that "early exposure to academics" has the potential "to psychologically damage developing brains," and can lead to physical health problems, including (but presumably not limited to) "depression, anxiety disorders--even cardiovascular disease and diabetes." Damage to the hippocampus is evidently a likely outcome if a child learns the names of different types of whales in preschool, according to Tullis.

Dr. Kurt Engelmann responds to Mr. Tullis' article in his letter to the Editor of Scientific American Mind.

The article was published in Scientific American Mind and is available for purchase on their website at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-death-of-preschool.