Dealing with ADD

Although school has only been going for 2 weeks, my kids are ready for the holiday weekend.  I think they just need to take a breather from all that has been going on these past 2 weeks.  My little guy is adjusting to kindergarten and still doesn't realize when the weekend comes and when he has school.  My oldest son is homeschooled and hasn't started his studies yet (one more week).  Then there's my 7th grade son who has ADD.  In spite of the fact that he's very smart (most ADD kids are, by the way), school has been a struggle every year since kindergarten.  He does well, then he doesn't do well.  It's up and down. He started on ADD medicine toward the end of second grade (on school days only), and while it does help him focus, the side effects for him are disturbing to us as parents, and to him.  But even with the medicine, his grades are still all over the place.  So, so far this year, we are seeing how things go at school without any ADD medicine.  I know it's going to be a struggle this year too, but I want to give him a chance to function on his own if he can.  It really angers me that my child should have to be medicated (drugged) in order for him to fit into the mold that the public school system has for students.  Why can't the schools accommodate him?  Why can't they teach him the way that he learns best?  Why should I have to send him to a private special school in order for him to not be treated like he's abnormal?  Did you know that the majority of kids in special education services in public schools are in those programs because they have ADD or ADHD?  Is that really a disability, or do they just need to be taught in a different manner?  Most of them are actually very smart and learn best orally, and by doing things hands on.  Maybe if they weren't forced to sit in a chair all day with their hands in their laps and not talk at all, they could function better.  I realize this would take effort on the school system's part, but wouldn't it be worth it to raise the self-esteem of these kids who believe that they are dumb because they don't learn the way most other kids learn?