Discussion was dominated by two stories, that of 13-year-old Adam Race, against whose parents a priest filed a restraining order, and of 5-year-old Alex Barton, who was voted out of his kindergarden class by his classmates, at the suggestion of his teacher, Wendy Portillo. These two incidents sparked some very heated and often acrimonious exchanges and remind me of why there’s a need to think about autistic persons and the community, in faith communities and all others.

Also: It was reported that there had been 72 cases of measles so far in the US, the highest number since 2001—-and the number would only go up, while misinformation about vaccines continued.

Sometimes it seems that everything, if not anything, could be said to cause autism (and that everything, and anything, has been offered as a “potential treatment for autism”). New tests to detect signs of autism in younger and younger children and, indeed, in babies were reported.

A New Yorker article on neurodiversity provided a simple answer to the question of where are the autistic adults?

And in May of the year when I started learning more and more about employment and housing for autistic adults, Charlie celebrated his 11th birthday–and am I always glad to be Charlie’s mother.

An editorial in today’s Palm Beach Post reports that Alex Barton’s mother is hopeful that a request for private schooling will be settled soon. A “bigger problem” is also noted:

The bigger problem, as public schools have to deal with more problems with less money, will be seeing that all children get the testing and help that they need - without wasting a lot of time. If Alex had received help more quickly, the Survivor scandal might never have happened.

If training about autism and special needs kids in the classroom had been provided……… if there’d been more and real understanding of what it’s really like to have Asperger’s Syndrome……. if……………

Back in May, 5-year-old Alex Barton was voted out of his kindergarten class by his classmates. His teacher, Wendy Portillo, had asked the students to vote on whether they wanted Alex to remain. Alex’s mother, Melissa Barton, removed Alex from the school following this incident, which received a great deal of attention in the national media. Portillo has been suspended for a year without pay and is asking that her her case be reviewed by the state Division of Administrative Hearings. Alex is now being taught at home and Melissa Barton is requesting that the St. Lucie County School District pay for private school, psychological testing and counseling for him, as reported in today’s Palm Beach Post:

Barton filed a complaint with the district in late August seeking an administrative hearing. In the complaint, which she released to the media this week, Barton outlined the incident that occurred last May in Wendy Portillo’s kindergarten class.

The complaint also says that school officials failed to evaluate Alex for autism within the time frame specified by law - he was privately diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, after the incident - and didn’t establish an individual educational program as required by federal law.

Barton is also seeking for the school district to pay legal fees and compensatory and punitive damages for emotional suffering.

Reviewing all this, one can’t help thinking how none of this had to happen if there’d been a little more understanding that day in May.

Florida teacher Wendy Portillo—who allowed her kindergarten class to vote on whether or not their classmate Alex Barton could remain in class—-has been suspended without pay for a year, according to the Naples News.

More commentary at Aspie Web.

See this comment for news about Nate Tseglin going home.

Autism rights have been much under discussion of late:

A restraining order was filed against the parents of Adam Race by a priest in Bertha, Minnesota, regarding Adam attending church.

The “voting out” of Alex Barton, from his kindergarten class; the teacher, Wendy Portillo, has been removed from the classroom.

An article about the “autism rights movement” and neurodiversity in the latest New York magazine.

And there is also the case of 17-year-old Nate Tseglin, who was removed from his parents’ home and institutionalized; some more details here and at the website, Get Nate Home.

Recently, at the request of the Tseglin Family, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network sent the following letter yesterday for use in a court hearing to determine the future of Nate Tseglin. If you are as of yet unfamiliar with Nate’s case, please visit http://www.getnatehome.com/faq.html for details. Please feel free to distribute the letter, which is below. Read more