Aspies For Freedom

AS is offically a disablitly at least here in the US.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/a...isability/

Quote:

Federal judge rules that Asperger's syndrome is a disability
January 31, 2006

PORTLAND, Maine --A York County girl who suffers from Asperger's syndrome is entitled to special education services even though she completes her homework, behaves well in class and scores well on tests, a federal judge ruled.

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Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts U.S District Judge D. Brock Hornby ordered School Administrative District 55 to assemble a team of teachers and specialists to design an appropriate learning program for the girl, identified in court documents only as "L.I."

In his ruling, Hornby said the girl's parents demonstrated that the disability adversely affects her educational performance "and is thus eligible for special education under (federal law) due to her Asperger syndrome and her depressive disorder."

Richard O'Meara, the family's lawyer, said the decision recognizes that social development is an important part of education, along with academic studies.

"Education is so much more than academic performance," O'Meara said. "Hopefully, this will put that debate to rest once and for all."

While Hornby overturned the district's decision to deny services, the judge also denied the family's reimbursement request for the two years of private school tuition it has paid since taking her out of public school in 2003.

Nonetheless, advocates for the disabled hailed the ruling as a victory.

The decision clarifies the question of who is eligible for services, and it will have an impact both in the state and beyond, said Peter Rice of the Disability Rights Center of Maine.

Eric Herlan, lawyer for SAD 55, declined to comment until he has reviewed the 48-page ruling, which was issued Monday afternoon.

Asperger's syndrome is a milder variant of autism. The name comes from Dr. Hans Asperger, an Austrian who described the syndrome in 1944.

Hornby's ruling described Asperger's as a "clinically recognized pervasive developmental disability" with symptoms that include "limited interests or an unusual preoccupation with a particular subject to the exclusion of other activities."

School is challenging for Asperger's students because they often have poor social skills and difficulty communicating, Hornby wrote.

L.I., who attended public schools in Hiram and Cornish through 5th grade, performed well academically but in the fourth grade her teachers noticed that she looked sad, anxious and had a difficult time making friends.

When she was in sixth grade, she stopped studying and attempted to commit suicide by overdosing on several medications. A psychiatrist evaluated her and diagnosed her with Asperger's syndrome and "depressed mood."

A team assembled by the school, however, denied special education services to her "since there was no adverse impact on her academic progress." Her family appealed but the decision was upheld by an independent hearing officer.

O'Meara said the decision could have a broad impact. "It should qualify kids for special education even when academically it seems they are able to succeed in school," he said.

Watch for the backlash from the Good Citizens -- "All these kids demanding all this special stuff from my tax dollars! All she needs is a good beating! Blah blah blah!"

This is clearly an example of ignorance in the officials. This girl is clearly being ignored/bullied by other people. No wonder why she is depressed.

Another Odgren story.

Agreed, but it seems like "the disabled" client had a need of it to be offered free governmental services.

theosoph Wrote:

AS is offically a disablitly at least here in the US.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/a...isability/

Quote:

Federal judge rules that Asperger's syndrome is a disability
January 31, 2006

PORTLAND, Maine --A York County girl who suffers from Asperger's syndrome is entitled to special education services even though she completes her homework, behaves well in class and scores well on tests, a federal judge ruled.

Article Tools
Printer friendly
E-mail to a friend
Maine RSS feed
Available RSS feeds
Most e-mailed
More:
Globe City/Region stories |
Latest local news |
Globe front page |
Boston.com
Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts U.S District Judge D. Brock Hornby ordered School Administrative District 55 to assemble a team of teachers and specialists to design an appropriate learning program for the girl, identified in court documents only as "L.I."

In his ruling, Hornby said the girl's parents demonstrated that the disability adversely affects her educational performance "and is thus eligible for special education under (federal law) due to her Asperger syndrome and her depressive disorder."

Richard O'Meara, the family's lawyer, said the decision recognizes that social development is an important part of education, along with academic studies.

"Education is so much more than academic performance," O'Meara said. "Hopefully, this will put that debate to rest once and for all."

While Hornby overturned the district's decision to deny services, the judge also denied the family's reimbursement request for the two years of private school tuition it has paid since taking her out of public school in 2003.

Nonetheless, advocates for the disabled hailed the ruling as a victory.

The decision clarifies the question of who is eligible for services, and it will have an impact both in the state and beyond, said Peter Rice of the Disability Rights Center of Maine.

Eric Herlan, lawyer for SAD 55, declined to comment until he has reviewed the 48-page ruling, which was issued Monday afternoon.

Asperger's syndrome is a milder variant of autism. The name comes from Dr. Hans Asperger, an Austrian who described the syndrome in 1944.

Hornby's ruling described Asperger's as a "clinically recognized pervasive developmental disability" with symptoms that include "limited interests or an unusual preoccupation with a particular subject to the exclusion of other activities."

School is challenging for Asperger's students because they often have poor social skills and difficulty communicating, Hornby wrote.

L.I., who attended public schools in Hiram and Cornish through 5th grade, performed well academically but in the fourth grade her teachers noticed that she looked sad, anxious and had a difficult time making friends.

When she was in sixth grade, she stopped studying and attempted to commit suicide by overdosing on several medications. A psychiatrist evaluated her and diagnosed her with Asperger's syndrome and "depressed mood."

A team assembled by the school, however, denied special education services to her "since there was no adverse impact on her academic progress." Her family appealed but the decision was upheld by an independent hearing officer.

O'Meara said the decision could have a broad impact. "It should qualify kids for special education even when academically it seems they are able to succeed in school," he said.

You would think that they would be able to get the URL of their own story correct.

The URL of the article contains the word 'aspergers' incorrectly spelled as 'aspbergers'.

Meh. Some people just aren't good spellers.

She does deserve government services. AS often does create problems; and when you have depression on top of it--enough to make you suicidal--you are going to end up with problems in school sooner or later.

This kid is in the sixth grade, right, and depressed? Well, that was me, too; except I never went so far as to try suicide. I imagine that her depression is caused by social isolation and abuse--same as it was for me, same as it is for many Aspies.

Why the comparison? Well, it's because, like this girl apparently does, I had straight A's in the sixth grade--had them, in fact, until my second year in college. That's when the depression/AS/ADHD combination I deal with finally became enough to hold me back. I began failing classes not long afterward, and ended up in a hospital mental ward.

If I had been taught how to deal with my AS and depression earlier--say, while I was still in the sixth grade--I might not have ended up on a downward spiral later on.

Sure, Asperger's isn't too much of a problem; but when your education system is meant to train NT kids, you miss out on stuff that's important for you to learn. That's what special ed is there for--to educate the people whose brains are far enough from the average that an education meant for NTs with average abilities won't help them.

While I'm at it, this is what I think: Gifted & Talented classes ought to be part of the Special Education system instead of the normal teachers; and special ed teachers ought to be taught how to teach kids with very high abilities. If an IQ of 140+ doesn't mean you have a weird brain, I don't know what does--and lots of "disabled" people have really high abililties in some areas. This would make such classes more accessible for genius Aspie/autie/dyslexic/ADD/whatever people; and maybe special ed wouldn't be such a stigmatizing thing anymore.

I agree with everything that Callista just said - it's better to get help for anxiety and depression early rather than let it fester and wreck lives. I was a good student but already depressed by the time I was in 4th grade.

By senior year in high school, I was failing maths and would have appreciated some tutoring because the teachers were going too fast for me.

The depression and anxiety really got bad once I left home and I didn't know how to deal with it either. Some help earlier on would have been better.

I also think I should have been put in a gifted class in early primary school or advanced a grade. But in those days, gifted students (unless good at sports) were put down and told not to think themselves better than others (Typical Australian Tall Poppy Syndrome)

"Gifted & Talented classes ought to be part of the Special Education system instead of the normal teachers; and special ed teachers ought to be taught how to teach kids with very high abilities."

I totally agree. My Masters degree is in special education of gthe gifted. In some states, gifted education IS a special ed category. When I moved to California, I was shocked to see that gifted ed is just a matter of putting the kid in "honors" classes. Being gifted involves a lot more than that, and a gifted program needs to offer much more.

Nobody cared that I was gifted - I was put down and pressured to be mediocre. I hope there is more sense now. What point is there in making a child who can do work at a 4th grade level do boring grade 1 work instead?

No point at all. That's why Aspie special ed is such a tricky problem. On one hand, we've got these weakneses you'd see in people years younger; but at our strong points, we're years ahead of schedule. Jagged skill profiles.

You put an Aspie kid in the wrong sort of special ed, and he ends up not only missing out on what he needs to learn, but even more behind in the schoolwork he's good at. But the right sort could really be a godsend.

Parents, take note: If you don't know what they're teaching your kid, find out. And if they're dumbing him down on purpose, make as many waves as you have to to get him at the right level again.

Yes, I wish my parents had made more waves on my behalf. They made a few but were promised I would be given more advanced work when I finished my set work, but it rarely eventuated until about the 3rd grade. Plus, they were very busy people with a large family and teachers were authority figures and to be believed.

Asperger's isn't always a disability. Smile

my parents were involved in my schooling all the way from pre-k to college and they made sure the school didn't get out of line or else they would be in big trouble.  i'm glad for it too, because without that backing, i don't know where i would be.

and this quote is intersting: "School is challenging for Asperger's students because they often have poor social skills and difficulty communicating, Hornby wrote."  the acdemic aspects weren't challenging for me, but the soical part of it was a bit of a problem, and a total disaster in junior high, as i was the most bullied kid in school, and everyone was a jerk pretty much.  but i think it was mostly because the peers were closed minded, as i was open to new friends.

and i don't think goverment help will solve this.  parents need to get involved with their children, autistic or not.  without it, kids don't stand a chance.

what we need is a SOCIAL ed class or classes in the currium.Make open to any one.

for NTs and Aspies alike, make it worth while to take for talarate Nts, collage credit or as supulamentry class.

theosoph

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