Over at my college I saw a posterboard area for National Disibility Awareness Month and on one sheet of paper I saw this..

Seeing this I wrote it down and talked with the guy in charge of this event for my College. After talking with him (bringing up points that this implies that autism is something wrong) he asked if an autistic person were to write about their autistic nature in a positive light he would change what was put above and replace it with the a more positive note of autism.

Now.

Two things: 1) Should we change this? 2) If so, what to?

I did a search on the net and found the qoute itself is from the viewpoint of Lynn Fraher who teaches at a school for autistic children. And the last sentence was changed for whatever reason. So I want to make clear it's the viewpoint of a NT who teaches children and the qoute was used in a way that I thought it was talking about the ENTIRE spectrum of kids and adults, not about children only. So no lynch mobs okay?

Link to the Autistic School's Site

Man, I am so sick and tired of the older-than-time, ancient line "behind the counter". For God sakes... Can't they think of other jobs besides counter work? It would be refreshing to at least get a different version for once in the planet's history. And NTs call autistic people the copy cats? 'sigh'

Yes, I think it could stand a little changeing, so it doesn't call other people defects and "can't do #$%" catagory folk.

There are many many pro-autism articles around. One classic essay that comes instantly to mind is "Don't mourn for us" by jim sinclair.

Although I realize this post is over 5 years old, it was recently brought to my attention and I felt compelled to respond. Not necessarily to defend myself, but set the record straight as you seem to have made up your own assumptions.

First of all, I would guess "NT" stands for "Neuro-Typical" but you use it as a negative noun in describing me as a teacher. I am not a teacher, I have no affiliation with the Mariposa School in NC and have never been there.

I wrote that description in the late 1990's to be printed on a t-shirt for the Autism Society of North Carolina, Mecklenburg County Chapter (Charlotte) for a fundraiser.

The last line that you quoted; "Despite these distinctions, individuals with autism share an occasional smile that will melt your heart." was indeed changed, as you stated. Several teachers asked that I change it so teachers  and staff could wear the t-shirts. It was originally: " Despite these distinctions, individuals with autism share an occasional smile that will melt a parent's heart."

I am the mother of 4 sons- 2 with moderate to severe Autism. I may be a neuro-typical person, but my life has not been. My sons at the time I wrote that quote were about  5 and 8. Today they are 20 and 23.

It was indeed my viewpoint, MY definition of Autism at the time-and to be taken lightheartedly (Perhaps like you used the term  "lynch mob"). If you only saw it as negative then perhaps you should have done more than an internet search to make your own conclusions.

Lynn Kitchens

Thank you for the post and welcome to AFF

Oddly, I don't find many problems with it.  I thought "behind the checkout counter" meant "standing in line."  Perhaps I was a bit off?  

Considering how old it is, I think we should be happy the word glitch was on there instead of something else.  From what I understand, "glistch" is what happens when code that was put into a program on purpose does something (anything) unexpected.  Okay, could be better; but do you know how down syndrome gets described?  "It's what happens when god makes a mistake and gives somebody too many chromosomes."  Yeesh.  I definitely prefer glitch to mistake!

Welcome to AFF.

What I didn't/don't get is the "fraternity house". Aren't there more rules to be observed than in "normal" life?