Aspies For Freedom

any personal thoughts Max?

I personally liked it.  It seemed that this was more fair then most news stories (The segment said that he suffered from bullying, not aspergers).  It was a lot more positive, I think.

I missed the show but here is the video:

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=3006889&page=1

I would hope so.  When my eldest still attended Northview Middle School (Metropolitican District of Washington Township, Marion County, Indiana), the principle, two teachers, and a counselor BLAMED HIM for being the victim.  This was the same school wherein he was removed from any services after they deemed that he only had "discipline problems".  As far as they were concerned, since he could read and write on his own, he obviously needed no help beyond getting failing grades.

I enjoyed this video and thought it gave a hopeful message.

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My son has Aspbergers. He attended the supervised social skills groups in grade school. They did not translate into anything social regarding lunch time and such because those were social interactions still in the school setting where he was still "branded". It's like expecting someone to practice handwriting skills at lunchtime for fun.

Teasing and bullying in school and busses was so relentless, I drove him to/from school each day. We finally changed schools (went from public to private) with smaller classrooms where he seemed to do much better.

I had to arrange deliberate "play dates" outside of school, ideally with persons he met in the skills group. Since the attendees within the group were confidential, and my son simply didn't care to ask for names, this took quite some time! We parents did alot of encouraging to get the kids to call one another. Parents calling Parents defeated the purpose.

Skateboarding and such were definately not after school activities (physical coordination required!!)

Movies around a shared interest were IN! At first at home, then in the movie theater. Also card games structured around shared TV shows.

He never did take initiative to set these contacts up while in 6th grade, so we put together a "contact schedule" on a refrigerator calender. He then understoond he had to "water friendships" just as you do plants, or the friendship will wither and you will have no one to do fun things with later.

Speech in high school turned out to be a blessing. Structured, contained, supervised, not sports, self-selected topics, reward for "acting" in a contained environment with memorized material  (not a play)! Can't get better than that! Band also proved to provide structured "belonging", and being in the orchestra for the Spring Musical (play) seemed to be especially meaningful.

These contacts grew into at least into two relationships that lasted thru high school, and briefly beyond. And, the "high" of really being appreciated in the speech setting was a strong motivator to reach out on his own to meet people, and make use of the social skills learned and let the "acting" fall away.

"It's hell out there" now describes the unstructured experience of the work place! The new need is for "Job Coaches" and mentors at the job that can be gradually phased out as the work and social skills needed in a work environment are learned. Parents have no place there!

He currently graduated from college (cum laude), reaching out to classmates with mixed, but mostly successful results. Acedemics are not an issue, but I fear social isolation may always be an issue, unless he continues to exercise the social skills that may never be natural to him.

AND, he recently announced his engagement! So, hang in there all of you, (or should I say US!)

I wish people would get over trying to "fix" Aspies! It's like trying to "fix" left-handedness. I agree that "They don't "suffer" from AS -- they suffer from prejudice, bullying, rejection and judgmental assholes. "

An Aspberger's Mom

First let me say I am 70 years old so I have a LOT of experiance with Aspergers. I was bullied at age 5 walking a mile to kindergarten (no school buses then). One big kid always stole my cap and would not give it back.  One day he pushed me into a puddle of freezing water and I ran home crying. My father, a school principal, told me that bullys are usually cowards, so the next time he picked on me just hit him in the face as hard as I could and he would not bother me again. They next day I did just that. He hit me back but he never bothered me again and neither did anyone else. Of course this is not a politically correct solution today, but it works.

I was 65 years old when I was diagnosed with Apergers, after retiring from the position of CEO of an engineering company. I had many social problems but my obsessions led me to many successes.  I dread to think of where I might have gone wrong if someone had tried to "fix" me.  Now in retirement I have lots of casual friends, no close ones but my wife of 46 years, but people still reject or avoid me because I seem "unfriendly".

I can completely relate to what Daniel and Noah (the kids on the Nightline segment) went through. I went through years of taunting and cruelty by other kids too. Especially in gym classes...that was the worst.

I hated middle school and thanks to that I have a bit a of a grudge agaist them. I saw my teachers recently and I found I held no spite at them. Maybe I will forgive the bullies back St. James.
I think the reason I really hated St James was that bullying was constant. I mean it was everyday non-stop. It was really ruining my tolerance of people and furthering my hatred people. Worse part was the fact I had nobody to turn to except some teachers that I liked. Others ignored that I was being bullied or frustrated that nothing was stopping them. Or worse. Blamming me for it.

When Highschool hit. I was called "Slobber Box" box because I drooled when I slept in class.   And Crazy Anne became my logo. I was loved, hated and everything in between, some thought I was hot others called me fag. It was bittersweet place and I kinda liked it. Mainly because there was Toni, Goldie, Patrick*hearts*, Amber, Nick, Mike&Mike, and Houki. I had friends there. Which is odd since most Aspies don't socialize well. But I did in very diverse setting, and i had select group that accepted me. And a very intimate group that knew me. Centerburg High was different. I was ostriczed as well, but my IEP teacher was like my best friend so it wasn't so bad