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 …read more

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 …read more

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 …read more

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.

As advertisers and networks have been dropping Michael Savage’s show in the wake of his infamous comments (here’s a list of 20 audio clips), here’s an email he sent to The Hook (Virginia):
The drug companies are very powerful and have worked very hard to silence any voice critical of the misdiagnosis of our children and the drugging of vulnerable minds. Sad the station manager is such an ignorant man.
Seems Savage is trying to portray himself as the misunderstood defender of so many poor misdiagnosed, “vulnerable [minded]” children and so offers up this defiant attempt parting shot. Guess a simple …read more

Talk Radio Network has announced that it will not be firing Michael Savage in the wake of his incendiary comments about autism. From the press release:
Dr. Savage has clarified that his July 16th statements concerning autism were not directed at those who are in fact challenged by this horrible affliction, but were instead addressing efforts to broaden the concept of autism beyond those who truly are autistic to a broader “autistic spectrum” of behavioral symptoms which are also manifested by persons who do not suffer from autism, and his concern that many children are being misdiagnosed as autistic due …read more

So I finally got around to reading Michael Savage on the Autism Controversy after grading papers, going swimming with Charlie and explaining to the water aerobics teacher why the boombox was contributing to him looking mighty distressed and since the class was over maybe it could be turned off?, making Charlie’s lunch, overseeing him practice cello, searching for the Leapster (not necessarily in that order). Yes, I know you’ve all read it, blogged it, rolled your eyes over it, read too many websites inveighing over the mean-spiritedness of remarks. Here’s Savage being called the most hated man in America (what …read more

It seems no wonder that right wing talker Michael Savage’s last name is, well, “Savage” after reading what he said about autism on his radio show. I’ll list the words he uses to refer to autism:
moron, putz, idiot, fool, dummy, a girl, losers, beaten men
More of Savage’s savagery is quoted on Left Brain/Right Brain.
If Savage’s intent was to shock, using such words about autistic children is a no-brainer way to do it and perhaps ratings will spike as rightfully indignant autistic self-advocates and parents of autistic children respond. What troubles me in particular is Savage’s contention that autistic children …read more

Being different; being disruptive; looking different; smelling funny (according to those who think they don’t); yowling………
What do these apply to?
Are these perhaps a few reasons why a 2 year old and his mother were kicked off an American Eagle plane, or a 13-year-old’s parents had a restraining order filed against them, or a 5 year old was voted out of his class?
Well yes, but actually, nope.
The different-looking-and-being, disruptive-behaving, smelling-funny, yowly individual I am referring to is……………..Po aka Kung Fu Panda.
Charlie and I saw the movie Kung Fu Panda Tuesday evening. We haven’t seen a movie in a while and we …read more

Now that it is the first of June, my son is down to his last two weeks of being at the school he’s been at for the past two years. He starts Extended School Year in the middle of June; it’ll be at the middle school and with the teacher who’ll be Charlie’s teacher in the fall. Moving up and on.
Here’s what got talked about here last week:

Neurodiversity in New York Magazine
New York Magazine has a long article by writer Andrew Solomon about, indeed, neurodiversity, the view that autism is not an illness, but a difference and a different …read more