This Type of Thing in Florida is Getting so Old

Here we go again.  A handicapped girl is bullied on a school bus.  The father goes through proper channels, complains to the school district, the school district employees (read government representatives) do not do anything.  The father takes matters into his own hands and although he had no physical contact with anyone – he was arrested.  See the story here:  http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39232388/ns/today-parenting/

Is it me or am I the only one that sees the “open season” attitude towards the disabled in the Florida education system?  This is a trend, no, it is a pandemic.  People need to be fired – school staff, school board members, the state superintendent, and the Governor who appointed him.  This trend is so disturbing, a physically and mentally challenged student shot in the face by University of Florida police, a State University professor in Miami who fatally over prescribes anti depressants to a pre teen autistic boy without punishment, three special ed teachers in a Florida school district charged with abusing handicapped students, and now this.  This is not a coincidence, this is an attitude problem in government.  Forget impeachment, elected officials who allow this to go on should be incarcerated.

It is horrible that a man busted onto a school bus like that.  It is worse that he felt he had to because the school officials failed to act.  The real crime is that a father is arrested for defending his disabled child’s honor, and everyone else gets a pass, from the buss driver to the matron, the do nothing school officials.

Of course I have a few obligatory questions:

Why were the police called on the father, but not on the bullies?

Why was this video released and not the one of the bullies? 

Why didn’t any of the adults speak English?

Why isn’t any one speaking up?

This father was wrong in his behavior, but, it seems he only acted when the school district did nothing.  In my book that makes him a hero.

©2010 Dan Homan

What Really Matters

Here is my take on a tragic story that hits close to home.  A well known celebrity from my city - Ocala, FL has made the news once again, regarding the tragic death of his autistic son.  Read the story here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1312123/I-saw-REALLY-happened-night-John-Travoltas-teenage-son-Jett-died.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

At issue was a paper John Travolta signed waving certian treatment.  The problem here is that regardless of your thoughts about John Travolta, as a parent he had the right to choose the treatment he thought best.  This is the problem with the provax vs. novax debate.  It does not matter if you agree with Jenny McCarthy or not, the fact is that as a mother she has the right to choose the treatment her children receive.  I am not saying her antivax campign is not over the top, but, if you want vaccinatons you have the right to choose without the personal attacks.  At the end of the day right or wrong she is a concerned mom making the treatment choices foir her children herself.  Lest you forget, the medical profession had basically dropped the ball on autism, giving little or no help, direction or guidance on treatment.  Insurance companies do not pay for OT, PT or speech therapy, or anything that could help remediate symptoms, I don't think she is right in her conclusions, but I do echo her concerns regarding doctors and autism.

Regardless of your thoughts on autism, cause vs. cure, vax vs. novax, or remedial treatment, we need start with the basic mutual respect for other's ability to choose their own treatment, without imposing your ways on them.  If the autistic community wants respect we need to show it to each other first.


©2010 Dan Homan

Set up for Failure

What is wrong with this picture?

Look at this story:  http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S1748817.shtml?cat=565

Here is a young man clearly identified as autistic, working with a school resource officer and eventually police which leas to charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.  The judge is praised in the comments section for having the common sense to conditionally drop the charges.

First let me say that I am not excusing inappropriate behavior, but anyone who has autism has had to deal with melt downs and some of us do better than others.  That being said there are several questions that beg asking.  Here are my questions:

First - if he has been under the care of public schools all his life, and they have a mandate to care for children with autism until they reach age 21, why at 19 wasn't he taught the skills to manage his meltdowns?

Why didn't the school official recognize what was happening and defuse the situation?

Absent defusing the situation, why was it escalated to the point of police being called?

Autism Speaks quotes a statistic of 1 in 110.  Why weren't the police trained to defuse the situation rather than escalate the problem to the point of arrest?

Why does the news report make it sound like the judge is doing him a favor by dropping the charges?

The fact is that employer background checks reveal more than convictions, they also report arrests.  This means that because the system let him down, that a handicapped individual is now facing greater challenges in finding employment in a difficult economy.

Why is this, and why weren't these questions asked publicly?

Autism - the stigma continues.

©2010 Dan Homan

  

Meet the New Neighbors

Look at this article:  http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20100917/NEWS01/9170333/LaGrange-residents-question-planned-home-for-autistic

When you look at the community attitude toward adults with autism living independently in society, is it any wonder why they don't just bring back asylums?  Oh, I forgot, if they don't want group homes, they definately don't want asylums in their neighborhood.

I guess it is OK for adults with autism to live anywhere except next to anybody who doesn't want them there.

©2010 Dan Homan

Enough Already, I am buying a Cane

I read the following article with amazement:  http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-7735-dog-fight-ends-with-hall-pass.html

This story is an example of the inexcusable hoops people with Autism have to jump through to obtain the basic "reasonable accommodation" required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Here state law required school compliance to allow service dogs, but "The School District" chose not to allow it, and forced the family to court, and once the family won the case, "The School District" appealed, forcing more legal drama.

What I find offensive is that this case was forced by "The School District" and no names of the bigots at the district that drove this family to court to defend their civil rights were provided.  These people clearly lack sensitivity at best, or at worst have poor reading comprehension, colored by their willingness to stigmatize people with disabilities.  No excuses they should be fired, and forced to reimburse the court costs for the family and the school district (taxpayer money that will never be used to teach students) out of their own pockets.

This is one more case of government employees abusing a member of a group that they know has an inability to communicate clearly without hired help.  Shame.

©2010 Dan Homan

Is Autism a Crime?

Look at this article. Sorbara advised jail for aggressive autistic teen, mom claims - CTV News

The disturbing thing is that more and more older teens and adults with autism are being channeled into the criminal justice system.

After closing many of the warehouse mental facilities and repatriating autistic people into society. rather than spend the savings on resources to support the needs of the autistic community, most municipalities have diverted the funds to other areas, leaving adults with autism under the bus.

we need to change this. Autism is not a crime. People with autism should not be criminalized because society no longer wants to help those who can't help themselves.

Is Autism a Crime?

Look at this article. Sorbara advised jail for aggressive autistic teen, mom claims - CTV News

The disturbing thing is that more and more older teens and adults with autism are being channeled into the criminal justice system.

After closing many of the warehouse mental facilities and repatriating autistic people into society. rather than spend the savings on resources to support the needs of the autistic community, most municipalities have diverted the funds to other areas, leaving adults with autism under the bus.

we need to change this. Autism is not a crime. People with autism should not be criminalized because society no longer wants to help those who can't help themselves.