On the “Autism Card” and a Deficit of Compassion
August 9, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Compassion Deficit Disorder is the title of an August 7th article by writer Judith Warner in the New York Times. Starting with Michael Savage’s over-the-top claims that autism is incorrectly diagnosed in 99% of cases and that it’s just a way to seek “undue sympathy, victim status, and services” for autistic children, Warner writes in the next paragraph about comments by Rick Davis, Senator John McCain’s campaign manager, last week about Barack Obama as
….[playing] “the race card” by noting that Republicans appeared to be trying to suggest to voters that the Democratic candidate “doesn’t look like all those other presidents on those dollar bills.”
There’s a perception—amorphous and not fully acknowledged—out there, Warner writes, that certain kinds of “differences,” of “gender, race, class, status and ethnicity” and also of disability enable some and certain individuals to have advantages, to be given preferential treatment. College admissions are Warner’s particular focus, as she refers to a conversation with her niece, an “incoming senior at a large, suburban high school in the Midwest”:
Her classmates, she said disgustedly, seem to view the college admissions trials as an all out game of war, waged by combatants who are perennially flipping cards of gender, race, class, status and ethnicity, ready to cheat if they don’t like the luck of the draw. Some students, she noted, managed miraculously to discover their non-white ancestry just days before they had to check off their race on admissions forms. These same students had spent their junior years bashing Hillary Clinton for “playing the gender card” (the oft-repeated phrase.) They bewailed the terrible unfairness of a college application system that, they believed, gave unfair advantage to racial minorities and students from economically disadvantaged homes.
Admission into college, and into certain highly selective, elite, Ivy League sort of colleges has become so competitive that students who are, Warner writes, “mostly white, mostly comfortably middle- or upper-middle-class,” feel disadvantaged as college admissions officers brush aside their applications in favor of students who, well, are not. Warner speculates that these students, and, too, the likes of Michael Savage and some campaign managers, all have a sort of “compassion deficit disorder”:
To accuse someone of playing some sort of card — race, gender, or whatever — is to assume they’re trying to take unfair advantage and to assert that they have no genuine right to express a grievance or even to mere self-assertion. That such accusations have flowed so thick and rich in the past year of presidential campaigning and now circulate unquestioned among our next generation of college students, reflects two realities: one is the degree to which the meaning of the historical battle of America’s long-discriminated-against populations has been corrupted, and the other is the degree to which everyone seems to feel that the deck is stacked against them.
The comments following Warner’s article were typically revealing, with numerous remarks about the unfairness of the college admissions process, some about autism being diagnosed and one (#195) in particular about Asperger Syndrome being a diagnosis “overused by parents wanting to have a label that will provide privileges and special services for a child who is bright but what we used to call ‘nerdy,’” and much more.
On first reading all this—especially what could be called the hand-wringing about college—I felt a bit impatient. Charlie’s educational challenges are far beyond worrying whether he won’t get into Yale; we’d have a major party if he read a few words in a book and I don’t mean anything by James Joyce. At this point, Charlie’s most likely not going to college. Jim and I are both college professors and have too good a sense of what Charlie would have to do to get through freshmen year, let alone the rest. Charlie most certainly does not have to attend college (or get himself mainstreamed) to make me feel proud of him; really, it’s beside the point. It’s a cliché, but raising a kid like him gives you mounds of perspective about what’s really important, and being able to wear a “Harvard parent” sweatshirt and put those stickers on the back of the stationwagon matters—-not.
In the interest of “full disclosure,” I will note that there’s a couple of cards I could play, or maybe that someone played for me when I was applying to college over two decades ago. I’m (1) female and (2) Chinese American, third generation, and I made sure to do all the kinds of things students today do to look like Top College Material: played musical instruments, competed in musical competitions, played in youth orchestras, ran cross country, won races, sang in the chorus (though I can’t sing), studied three languages. Et cetera. Further disclosure: I went to an Ivy League college, and then Ivy League graduate school, and then—-two years after I’d gotten my degree—-had a little boy who put me on the path to the hardest educational challenge I’ve ever faced. It’s not been easy, but it’s the truth that raising Charlie and trying to understand him has been the best learning experience I’ve ever had. I never sought admission and at times I’ve been an unwilling student. The cards that I’ve learned to deal have not been “playing” cards as much as flashcards, and Language Master cards to prompt Charlie to talk, and cards fastened to his backpack so he’ll know what his bus and locker numbers are, and the card I slip into his pocket that says “My name is Charlie—I have autism—please call my mom and dad IMMEDIATELY.”
Out of all the comments on Warner’s article, this one stood out to me the most was #44:
I am a Emergency Medical Technician in Jersey City New Jersey and a father of a Autistic child. Most of the children I treat for ashma [sic] are poor. My son, well he is autistic. Neither one of my jobs are “frauds”, please, get real.
Bill Bayer
— Posted by William Bayer
The college where I work is in Jersey City, which is the most ethnically diverse city on the East Coast. My husband Jim and I would love to live in Jersey City but the services for a kid like Charlie aren’t the same as they are in the suburbs, and so that’s where we live. Many of Jersey City’s residents are immigrants; the schools have all the problems of schools in a large, very urban, school district. It’s nice to be able to fret about college admissions. It’s necessary to “get real” and see who really has real needs, and where the compassion needs to be.
What would be the Ritalin equivalent for “CDD,” should one be sought……..
Kristina, I note (from a previous dismissive comment from you) that it is conservative politicians that flame the “tribal” reactions discussed by Warner. What better way to win elections than to divide people by their differences and claim one group is benefitting at the expense of the other.
Our problem is a little of the opposite. We don’t want to be singled out due to our ethnic background. We are both first generation Puerto Ricans, and PJ was born in Virginia. We only speak English at home to make it easier for PJ to grab onto new vocabulary.
Every time we have to go to the school for his IEP, it is the same crap: they try to shove onto us a spanish interpreter. This is before us saying one word. Simply because of our names, it is immediately assumed that we don’t speak English. The funny part is that both PJ and Ivette have neutral English accents, I am the only one with a heavy accent.
I understand if they did this the first two years, but this has been going on for more than four, and it is annoying.
The sad thing about the admissions circus/drama for college is that after they graduate, they’ll be in a hell of a lot of debt, competing for the same jobs as those kids that got into state schools for much less money. 2-3 years after graduation, when they are ready to move on to a second job, nobody is going to care that they came from the Ivy League.
Excellent article by Warner, and a fine post by Kristina Chew!
I just wonder why the American media has such a disproportional number of right-wing radio and TV hosts, spewing their ignorant, sensationalist and intolerant ideology. I do not believe that most of this society is conservative, but when you have the media dominated by these types of people, it tends to influence folks that would have otherwise leaned towards more compassionate points of view.
To be fair to Savage, he had Ari Ne’ehman reading his statement on his show last night. I haven’t seen this posted elsewhere. Media Matters prolly didn’t mention it, they’re not into being fair, just vindictive. They have a _serious_ tranzi agenda.
Divide and conquer.
I am sometimes discouraged that in this time of relative plenty, and even luxury, that there is so much discontent, competition, and active seeking of parties to blame.
I have no grudge against them who want to try for the Ivy League, although the process sounds nightmarish and is potentially a hell of an expense.
I have no grudge against them who choose or do otherwise.
Compassion would be fine although that’s a concept that sometimes takes time to cultivate. I would settle for civility, kindness, pause to spend a moment in someone else’s shoes, and a little more bonhommie.
Justthisguy,
Ari recording that several weeks ago for Talk Radio Network (they weren’t going to put it on until the pressure started to mount with advertisers leaving). It wasn’t Mr. Savage who put that on, it was the syndicator. Just in case Media Matters doesn’t report it, there you have it and here is the headline “Savage tries to save ass by ‘promoting’ public diversity message.”
@CS,
I’ve always been aware of being different—-was always “the different girl” (because of being Chinese) at school. It was a good preparation for life with Charlie!
@Pedro Vera,
I know that people ask me if English is the first language “spoken in the house” as a formality, but still, I always feel a twinge. That seems surprising the district would still ask about an interpreter.
E pluribus unum.
“I’ve always been aware of being different—-was always “the different girl” (because of being Chinese) at school. It was a good preparation for life with Charlie!”
That’s nice. I so better understand your position now.
Thanks for telling me that, CS! Weiner is a weird guy. The other night, he mentioned that he was feeling mellow, for once, (having just used his favorite homeopathic medicine) and didn’t feel up to continuing with the show, as he was not angry enough.
That boy is seriously weird. As I said, I agree with him about 40% of the time. The rest of the time, I tend to yell at the radio. So far, I have refrained from throwing things at the radio, or throwing the radio at things.
I would not dare to call him on the telephone to talk on his show; autistic reasons aside, in my part of the country (the South) we were taught to speak politely, no matter how much we disagreed with somebody. If he were to answer my phone call, he would have me at a disadvantage, the way radio talk shows are arranged.
Where I come from , we address each other as “sir” and “Mister” right up until we pull the trigger.
Yup, he’s double-plus rude, but I still listen to him, and yell at the radio about it
I could kill you with a smile on my face and still feel sorry for you, well that’s what you get from watching Heath Ledgers interpretation of the joker innit!
Empathy is over rated, humanity ought to score higher, you don’t need some wierd neurotypical false concept of what they call empathy but what they really know nothing of, to be moral.
Politeness is not so much the dialogue of princes our old pal Machiavelli busted that myth.
I tell you what I think of you and we are all better for that oh well … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE4HGlmtOcg
and don’t ask me where I got my smile from
No wonder more than a few students these days (the ones I’ve taught) seem to be drawn to Machiavelli…………
Well Machiavelli is not the worst by any means, there is Hobbes.
I started out in my academic career with Politics and Economics, now it is hard to say which of the two is the most brutal.
Though Eng lit actually introduced me to Machiavelli, via Marlowes Edward 2nd.
I prefer Locke to both of them, as did the Founders.
Empathy ain’t in it, Larry, it’s good order and due ceremony. Read Winston Churchill’s explanation of his polite language he had the King subscribe to, when declaring war against Japan.
Dang! Here I am taking up for the Weiner and simultaneously complaining about his rudeness!
Owhell, I reckon they don’t know any better in NYC, where he came from.
H’mm how should it go
“I do declare sir, that I hate your guts, but I respect your right to have such implacably intransigent intestines. Shall we meet at dawn for a polite volley of pistols or swordplay, notwithstanding that I am an utter cad and shall fire before the count or bait my rapier”
Or, and I hate to get all autistic-like here: The Proper Forms Must Be Observed. Dammit.
Yah, I know the United States Government has been violating its own Constitution in horrendous egregious ways for, oh, at least 147 years.
That’s no reason not to say ‘em nay, though we die when the cops kick down our doors and come in shooting.
My kitty-cat might as well be from New Hampshire; He hates living in this new small apartment, hates the dangerous neighborhood, is twelve years old, but is only happy when I let him out at night.
Live Free or Die, baby!
ahh, our posts crossed in the ether again. In a properly-run duel, there were people present whose duty it was to plug the cheaters,if such manifested themselves. People took that seriously, back then. Some folks really did value honor more highly than life.
A propos “Live Free or Die”: the New England singer-songwriter Bill Morrissey wrote a funny little song by that name, about a con serving time in the New Hampshire state pen, banging out license plates each day that say “Live Free or Die”…
As someone who was diagnosed with Asperger’s a few years ago, it stuns me that there are people who think that somehow having Asperger’s gives people some form of benefit or privilege that neurotypical people don’t have. I’d love to ask them if they think that growing up ostracized from my peer group, crying myself to sleep at night because I had no friends, and constantly being lectured by parents and teachers for being “rude” when no one had ever bothered to tell me what things were considered rude and what were not, is a benefit and a privilege.
Phil, every free man (and woman) really does need to consider, “Just exactly what would I rather die from than put up with?”
I know that my kitty would rather die than have his liberty restricted; I hope that I might be as brave as he.
(He’s not foolhardy;, he avoids big dogs and suchlike, but insists on his right to go out at night.)
Rainbow, by the time “Asperger’s Syndrome” was even heard of in the United States, I was well over forty years old. By the time _I_ heard about Asperger’s Syndrome, I was well over fifty years old, my parents were either dead or nearly so, and therefore there is no way I can get an official dx, not that that would help me here in Florida.
As a self-dxed person, I would say that yes, it sucks being one, especially where I live.
Kid, you have no idea what it was like in the fifties.
In my myriad roles (instructor, student, journalist, advocate) I have seen some horrible choices relating to college admissions. I’ve seen students admitted I knew would fail, while others who would be great assets rejected.
Diversity is an important goal and should not be discounted, but we must prepare students for college better instead of admitting based on our ideals. If we really wanted equality for the underprivileged, we would fix the K-12 system so colleges and universities wouldn’t feel compelled to fix things after its often too late.
We offered remedial math and English courses at Fresno State that I would be embarrassed to present to a fifth grade class in nearby Clovis. I had students in my English 1a course who could not write a coherent paragraph. At least two of my students in English 1 (offered in conjunction with 1a) had taken the course more than twice.
Of course parents of more qualified students will complain when colleges admit unqualified students. The problem is that they start to think every minority, female, disabled, and so forth student is unqualified.
That is certainly not the case. Most students admitted, regardless of background, are qualified. Most… but not all. Enough aren’t that we contribute to the distrust parents have of the system.
I’ve taught since 1990. I was an interim dean at a community college in the late 1990s. I’ve had to make funding choices, scheduling choices, and know the pressures to maintain diversity.
I also know what we were doing led to a lot of problems. I would have taken every dime spent on remedial college courses and put it right back in to the K-12 system. Every dime.
Fresno State has a statue of Caesar Chavez near where I taught on that campus, not far from a bronze bust of MLK. We do the memories of these leaders a disservice when we set up even 20 percent of students for failure, while taking their tuition dollars (usually in the form of loans, sadly).
By the way, the 20 percent figure was official policy. We just assumed 20 percent of the admitted “underserved” communities would fail. Nice, huh?
The resentments created among groups are not left or right creations, but power generated. I am from California where I still write for a magazine publisher. Friends have worked for politicians of both parties…
Before the “Rodney King Riots” there was deep distrust of Koreans among the Hispanics, the Hispanic community disliked the African-American community, and so on. I have heard people like Rep. Maxine Waters say horrible, horrible things about Asian business owners — cheered on by her constituents.
Hate is a tool, exploited by people in power of all stripes.
Hatred here is associated with the “Right” but I’m of Jewish descent and can tell you that the French “Left” is about as anti-Semitic a media as you will find. (They hate Arabs, Jews, and pretty much everything non-European.) Rumors about who has “Jewish blood” are still common on left-leaning Web sites in France. Oh, wait, I read the same tripe on Daily Kos and HuffPost from time to time….
Hate is unacceptable, period.
There sure are a lot of posters who use “CS” on here.
That statement about Asperger’s is just annoying. I don’t really know about other parents and their children, but my son, whose diagnosis is Aspergers but whose symptoms easily fit the “classic” autism as per the DSM-IV, has the laundry list of right-brain deficits that characterize his disorder. He’s bright…in some ways…and not in others, and not in some kind of “math smart/word dumb” way, either. He’s got processing issues, memory problems, executive processing is non-existent, he has motor problems, sensory issues…on and on. He vocalizes uncontrollably in public and makes indescribable faces and contorted body postures while doing so. He flaps his hands because he can’t tell me what’s physically wrong with him, and he puts on his “ear muffs” when overwhelmed with anxiety, as he typically is. His thinking is almost invariably catastrophic (one of his first questions about almost any animal or plant is, “Can it kill you?”), and he cannot keep himself from touching other people, even when they try to hit him for doing it.
Gee, and all this time, he was just “nerdy.” Uh-huh.
C.S., I attribute my relative lack of being bullied when I was a kid to attending Dade County, Florida schools, which were _heavily_ Jewish. Nerdiness was not punished. However, not being a member of the Tribe, my overtures of friendship toward them were rebuffed. Still, and all, I’m glad I went to school with lotsa Jews, because a high academic standard was maintained, and bullying was frowned upon.
(Of the 12 National Merit Finalists in my Senior High School class, Bill S. and I were the only two Gentiles.
I’m putting in a vote for Hobbes, though I’ve clearly imbibed too much Locke as far as his views on education.
Once I had mail addressed to me as Christina Shew so maybe I’m another “CS.”
Dang, Emily, I do feel for you. When communicating with really seriously autistic folks (and normal folks, too) I describe myself as “mostly normal.” I do think I share enough of the autistic consciousness to sympathize, at least a little bit, with people who wear their sensory nerves on the outside of their skins, so to speak.
May your kid find a way to avoid overstimulation!
Hi, Just…he’s a great kid but does become instantly tense and overstimulated in ANY new environment or in one that has a lot of inputs. That’s just how it is. But I certainly wouldn’t describe it as just being “nerdy.” I’ve got a nephew who fits that description, and no one’s trying to dx him with Aspergers. He’s just kinda geeky.
Kristina, I’m Hobbesian at heart. Can’t help it.
And Hobbes was a Classicist……
@Emily
Names and initials cycle in popularity. There is actually a story behind my name and initials, which I tell in the autobiography I’ve written.
Short version: It’s a Christian name given to a decidedly non-Christian baby boy who is expected to die… something of a search for miracles.
Until the last three or four years, I didn’t even mark “disabled” on forms — even though I limp, sometimes use a cane, and am visibly lopsided from partial paralysis.
My parents were blunt: “No excuses for any failures. Ever.” The word “disabled” was to never be used by relatives, for any reason.
Teachers, however, were always a bit quick to label me.
Maybe the “C. S.” worked… at least in terms of family expectations.
Leviathan frightens me…
“My parents were blunt: ‘No excuses for any failures. Ever’.”
Failures are an important tool in the learning process and the term “excuses” lacks nuance and is indicative of rigid thinking.
Leviathan frightens me too, it is a whale of a book
Emily -
Yeah, I was originally diagnosed with Asperger’s, and since I had high test scores, it was assumed that I was very “mildly affected” or something. Never mind that speech shutting down is pretty common, or that self-injury was a near daily occurrance until maybe 17, or that my difficulties understanding instructions cause cooking microwave foods to be a long and difficult process, and that I need a lot of prompting to get ready in the morning for school or it could easily take 3 or 4 hours, even when I’ve gotten plenty of sleep. I start college in a month, and I’ve just started to take the bus by myself.
Yet, the director of special services didn’t listen when my parents and I raised these issues, and it wasn’t until the IQ scores came back low that they changed their tune from “no more difficulty than any normal teenager” (March IEP meeting) to “oh, gee, we’d be real concerned about her living alone at college” (May IEP meeting). Then, even though they knew I was going to college, they didn’t provide any reports or referrals or resources or advice or ANYTHING, and we had to e-mail the superintendent repeatedly in order to get just the reports, which were mailed out in mid-July, and we’re yet to have an appointment with the autism specialists that was supposed to occur in June, but nobody contacted us about it since May.
Apparently they are so convinced about people with the Asperger dx being “very mildly affected” that they are trying to switch the diagnosis to classic autism, which while it does fit me, it’s kind of on the brink (my language development was atypical, and while I was talking it was echolalia, but it’s unclear when I developed non-echolalic phrase speech, and the delay couldn’t have been much or my parents would remember it as such, though their memories are pretty fuzzy about these things, especially since autism runs in the family and a lot of traits like echolalia and headbanging were perceived as totally normal), and it disturbs me that the special ed staff are so terribly rigid in their perceptions of people they are supposed to serve.
And as for parents “pushing for inappropriate ASC diagnoses” – well I can say that’s certainly not the case here, and for the vast majority of people (I haven’t personally heard of someone doing this). In fact, while my parents requested an evaluation (so my records for college would be current), it was the school officials who were emphasizing a different spectrum diagnosis, while my parents couldn’t care less which diagnosis – it’s all autism anyway, just different traits/skills combinations. In fact, they gave out behavioral evaluations, three to teachers and one to my parents, and while the ones the teachers filled out all indicated “High Functioning Autism”, the one my parents filled out, didn’t apparently (which seems to have to do with how my parents perceive my social behavior differently from others – so what most people would see as aloof and uncommunicative, my parents perceive differently, especially my dad who is also autistic). So anyone who would try to tell me that we were trying to push for an inappropriate diagnosis, I would show how clearly wrong they must be. Besides, nobody has provided any help or options or resources, no kind of training to help me live independently – they just basically said, “well, I wouldn’t be comfortable with her living on her own” and say “goodbye” and don’t even give us test results or anything! Really, if at all possible, I’d do whatever I have to in order to avoid this kind of runaround. WHY on earth would anyone think people would subject themselves to the overwhelming bureaucracy and all this, just for what? A paper with a diagnosis, and taking tests in a separate room? Speech therapy to learn idioms you already know? Come on.
CS said,
“Failures are an important tool in the learning process”
We take a page out of Precision Teaching’s book and don’t call them failures, but learning opportunities, in order to call attention to the next step in the process. It helps takes the implications of blame and finality out of the equation, at least as I see it.
To quote a sappy movie with a statement that I happen to agree with–“every minute is another opportunity to turn it around”.
CS said, quoting me:
thank you for the thanks——I used to wonder what words other kids were making up to rhyme with my last name, which rhymes with lots of words that kids, and adults too I suppose, like to fling at each other.
I’m sorry, but a failure is a failure — I’m not about to play semantic games with language.
I’ve had many failures. Some were learning experiences, other were simply unavoidable. Some I can learn from directly to alter my choices, others simply remind me that things go wrong in life.
As someone in business for myself, some ideas have worked for a time, others have been dramatic failures — costing very real money. I don’t get to tell vendors I had a “learning opportunity” with cash flow. No, I’ve made analytical mistakes or the unexpected external event changed the equations.
What we need to remind everyone is that failures, lost games, honest mistakes, and the like are generally (generally) not life threatening. You study the results of loses for a reason, to analyze what happened.
When software goes bad, you study why. When a game is lost, you review game films. When I have a problem with a lesson/assignment, I review what I could improve as a teacher.
It’s not a learning opportunity when someone “fails” to drive safely. It’s not a learning opportunity (at least not for the fireman or diver) when someone fails to check air tanks. My father worked in critical care and ICU for 35 years. Mistakes in ICU are failures. Serious failures (followed by lawsuits, of course).
Sorry, the doctor who injured me at birth failed. I wasn’t a learning opportunity.
But, nothing I do involves risking lives. If I make a mistake while studying autism or learning pedagogies, I get to learn from failures. If I fail in business, I rethink the next plan.
No games with the language. I call it what it is: a bad lecture, a failed assignment design, or a poor business plan.
Some failures are “my fault” and I assume responsibility for them. I apologize if anyone else is affected, pick up the pieces, and analyze what can be learned. Such is most of life.
As for rigid… I like rigid. I like definite, clear, precise judgment. I don’t do grey areas (have tried to understand them, though) and have learned to live with my brain functioning as it does. Then again, maybe this is one more thing people can claim is “broken” about my mind.
Personally, I think it is a strength that if I don’t make it up a trail I go back and exercise more. I look for alternative ways to solve problems when my arm or leg is a “challenge” to overcome. I don’t accept any limits beyond those I know are natural: I won’t win a sprint, so my goal is adjusted to finishing the course.
As for the students I meet, I tell them to take more responsibility and in return most faculty will work more with them. Don’t make demands, ask how to work with professors and departments. Avoiding conflict can reduce failure, in business and in education.
And I don’t play semantic games of comparing life-threatening situations with teaching. To label a child’s perhaps temporary or perhaps permanent lack of success as “failure” does not necessarily inspire motivation to continue to be open to learn. You may call it failure if you wish.
I considered that you might be saying in a general sense that failure is not acceptable, as in giving in or giving up. That may be something different.
I don’t use the word “failure” in reference to my students, or for Charlie—-it seems to point to an end, even a dead end, that can’t be gotten out of. But there’s always hope, I think, or like or have to think.
Yet another insightful, smart, and warm post that makes me wish there were more parents out there like you. Last weekend, after listening to a couple of girlfriends jaw for an hour about the stress of avoiding Bratz and Barbies for their Disney Princess-loving daughters, I was feeling alone, and annoyed. I always feel better after reading one of your posts like the above. I have bigger things to worry about than what toys may or may not send a body image message to my kid. Not that that’s not a valid concern, just not for me. I would LOVE for Dan to identify with a symbolic toy like a doll. ANY doll. You can’t stim on those as easily.
These parents are under the easy assumption that college is not an “if” but a “where”, so they have the leisure to banter. Not that that’s not fine, but I like you, Kristina, feel like I don’t need to sweat the small stuff, I can just go with the flow and if/when Dan ever lives out of my house, attends any sort of college, or has any sort of job, I will be just as proud, and have a greater perspective of true happiness, than many of my peers. I too, did not sign up for this class, and have yet to see the whole syllabus, but so far it’s been the ride of my life! Before Dan, I think I was sort of insufferably arrogant about education and my status in society. The lessons Daniel continues to teach me, while feeling somewhat like being taught with a sledgehammer, have improved me, down to the bones of my soul, immeasurably. Do I feel superior sometimes still? You bet. –For different reasons now. But I’m a work in progress just like Dan.
@Regan
A child, or someone with lower mental capacity, does not fail — systems fail them.
I’ve never even understood grading student work before fourth or even grade. At least not in the manner we do in most schools. In the early years, too many students are assumed to have limits they might not have.
Early childhood education was not the topic of the original post. College was. Prof. Chew’s posting was about college and people making excuses for manipulating the admissions system. It is about people trying to reduce what is expected of them: students who tell me, “I can’t do that because…” and “I have disabilities, so you can’t expect….”
Oh, yes I can expect. You earn a grade from me, I don’t hand them out and weigh them based on particular hardships.
But, young adults and even many teenagers do fail. They let themselves assume failure is normal and they surrender. Or, worse, systems teach them that failure is not only acceptable, but never their fault.
I spend the day with an African-American political scientist. He was commenting on the students he meets who begin the year with a long list of why the university shouldn’t expect much of them. That’s just sad and even disturbing.
He recruits for the university, trying to convince students that “destiny” is not pre-ordained by circumstances.
I know my students can succeed. They need to stop imagining they cannot. Will project fail? Yes. Will labs fail? Sometimes with spectacular results.
I’ve walked out of courses, away from jobs, and risked everything more than once in my life. Risk involves a sense that failure is not inevitable — that you *might* fail, but that’s never a certainty.
Whilst I do not believe it is in the province of Medics to diagnose Autism (a competent and trained psychologist ought to be capable) I do not think it is the province of schools to rediagnose or ignore diagnoses for administrative reasons, that is the perfect example of social construction.