G’s Place

Bev at Asperger’s Square 8 posted this story about a 5-year-old (that would make him a kindergartener I think..) who was voted out of the class by his peers.

Seems he got sent to the office for being disruptive. Once the boy came back to cliass the teacher, Wendy Portillo, asked the other students if they were ready for him to return. She had the little boy stand in the front of the class, and one by one the other kids told him what they thought of him. They called him “disgusting” and annoying”. Then they voted whether or not he should get to stay in class. They voted him off the classroom, and the boy spent the rest of the day in the nurse’s office.

She claims she did this because the class was learning about tallying (WORST.SCAFFOLDING.EVER!!).

Oh, did I tell you that the boy is being evaluated for an autism spectrum disorder? The same one my daughter has?

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network has the list of who (and how) you can contact to voice your shock and disgust about this issue. Details here. I’ll write one and post it later. I am too upset and angry to do anything respectful at the moment.

If Alex’s family happens to read this: I am a Florida native (now living in New England). I know how bad the schools are for kids on the spectrum, but we didn’t experience anything horrible until middle school. Please love your baby and let him know he IS special, and no one is ever allowed to tell him any differently.

MEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This story is via Asperger Square 8

So, some guy in Canada decides to “run for autism”. He invites some autistic folks, who politely decline. Mostly because the guy publicly spoke about how autism is a terrible burden and we must find a cure!!

The autistic folks explained they couldn’t support his run because of those statements, and what response do they get?

“Haha oh sh*t” (sent from a Blackberry).

That kids needs to learn how to use email. He obviously meant to forward that message, not reply to it. But it shows how much he knows about autism, and also how much he really cares about this cause.

This seems to be the kid’s media contact:

Alex Bittner at: alex.bittner@runthedream.ca, 888-507-5885 ext. 4

Here is the main website: Run the Dream

Here is his blog 

There is a facebook group

Bev over at Asperger Square 8 has had a couple of thought-provoking posts on the topic of what is “awareness“.

I thought I relate an awareness story (it beats writing my paper).

Brianna and I were in ToysRUs, who have a program going on right now with Autism Speaks. So there are posters up all over the store, with puzzle pieces missing. Brianna say this one:

….and gave it a new caption. It was something like “Doh! The puzzle is why can’t you people figure this out? I’m fine - it’s the rest of you that don’t understand!”

Anyways, maybe Brianna will comment and tell me how I got that wrong.

for Autism Awareness month (sorry Bri it’s sorta faspie)

Here are my blurbs for autism month:

We are having our first parent support meeting in Hopedale MA. It’s for parents of teens and young adults with Asperger’s. We are affiliated with the Asperger’s Association of New England. Our first meeting is April 2 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the Hopedale library. Feel free to email me if you have any questions - or just show up!

There is an awesome article written by a woman who is a manager at CNN, and also aspie.

Bev has posted a great awareness video.

And my (not-so) little aspie will be graduating from college with honors.

!!!!

So, bri calls me about an email she got from a professor. The prof has dropped her grade a letter and is threatening to drop her from the class because he says she has missed class “no less than four times”.

Bri says she has never missed class - she was late once and apologized ( to which the prof said it was ok).  She has turned in all her work. She disclosed to him one day, based on things he said they were going to be expected to do.

Ok, her disclosing in itself is a HUGE deal. Two years ago, she would have talked to me for an hour and a half before she let me know why she was upset, and then would have firmly resisted just explaining to the prof about her concerns. Nowadays, she just goes up and says, listen I have Asperger’s Syndrome, the best way I can explain it is it’s a mild form of autism, and because of that it is going to be hard for me to _______________ (<–fill in some sort of social interaction here).  I am SO happy she is able to advocate for herself a bit.

I’m hoping it’s a misunderstanding. I’m hoping the professor (ok, he is a visiting author) is just confused. Or, maybe bri is supposed to be doing something and she has missed it. Still confusion.

I got her to email the prof back, saying basically wtf ??? Until she hears back, I am going to be riled up. I am trying to learn that she has to do it….I just don’t understand why she doesn’t get mad about it. She has internalized it - so that is where I am focusing my energy that is coming from my anger.

She is like, well I don’t talk alot…everyone else knows each other in the class, and  are very social. Maybe that makes me invisible. Is that why I am always invisible to people.

To which I say oh HELL no….you are paying to be in this class, he has no right to just ignore you!! It’s his job to draw you out, and help you develop your craft. (I have said on here how bri’s Aspie “THING” is stories haven’t I???) God how do I keep her from thinking this is something she did “wrong” or “bad”? And who the hell is this man to make my daughter feel that way?

So, the way I see it, my lesson is to hold back, support her, let her handle it. SO SO HARD!! Her lesson is to not let people push her aside and demean her because she is quiet, shy and different. Jeez I wish she would raise a little hell!!

I go back and read some of Bev’s posts  @ Asperger’s Square 8, and it upsets me so much to realize how much bridge-building work needs to be done.  I read about how web 2.0 instruction is bringing together Aspies (John Elder Robison to be specific) and Psychology students…that is fantastic. I think challenging how future educators and psychologists are being taught is the only way to start building those bridges.

Bri, if you read this…there ain’t nothing wrong with you. It’s the prof. You have to stick up for yourself a bit though!!  I love you, I know some of that gene is inside you, let it out!!!

Bev at Asperger’s Square 8 reports on an aspie kid in California who was told to leave gym class for singing. When he wouldn’t leave, the teacher called a resource officer who handcuffed the kid and dragged him off.

And he was suspended for three days to boot.

Maybe the teacher has sensory issues and couldn’t take the humming? Then the boy had the audacity to “defy” her….but jeez what the hell good is a resource officer in a middle school if they go right to the handcuffs?

Go see the new bumper sticker on Asperger Square 8.

Related stories here and here.