Over on the Google newsite, I noted the juxtaposition of two stories. One involved a report that the Taliban attacked both an airport and a foreign military base in Afghanistan. The other was a backlack against the new body scanners in use in some airports in the United States and invasive patdowns.
Afghanistan OnLine ( http://www.afghan-web.com/woman/ ) admits to the burning down of girls' schools and RAWA ( http://www.rawa.org/women.php )reports that the most recent burning down of a girls' school took place this past Monday. Things are not good in Afghanistan, not at all.
Meanwhile, back in the United States, some folks are afraid of radiation leakage from the body scanners that a few airports are currently using. ( http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/12/travel.screening/?hpt=Sbin ). And a few folks are calling patdowns invasive and humiliating
( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/12/AR2010111206580.html ). The issue cuts a bit deeper than todays' news stories cover.
At this year's Autreat, there was a presentation about airport security. The full-body scanner that folks are having fits over may actually be beneficial to people who are sensitive to touch who don't use wheelchairs or have prostheses. ( http://autisticcats.blogspot.com/2010/07/autreat-2010-presentations.html ). Another blogger talks about the experience that a female amputee went through ( http://www.thebredafallacy.com/2010/06/on-being-modular-iii.html ). Peggy-- the woman amputee-- took down her initial blogpost about her experience but has left up a post explaining the fallout she experienced from trolls ( http://amputeemommy.blogspot.com/2010/06/lost-message.html ). Peggy's story attracted a bit of attention from the T.S.A. I hope that she will continue to be a catalyst for change. ( http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=12700154 ). It is noted that she was not allowed to reassure her four year old son as he sat next to her crying because someone yelled at him for holding her hand! One worker insisted that Peggy give him both her prothesis and the cloth that covers it-- which must be kept sanitary-- rather than wanding the artificial limb. ( http://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=325 )
There are some able-bodied Americans who don't care for body scanners and others who refuse to fly. It remains the concerns of folks with disabilities that I find most compelling as a woman with brain damage. We the disabled among you cannot be lumped into one population. The concerns of amputees about airport security procedures and possible ameliorative measures are different from those of folks on the autistic spectrum.
So yes, there are problems, severe problems with national security. I maintain that our train stations remain severely lacking in security measures. If I were a terrorist, American train stations would be on my target list. I went halfway across the country on trains. At no time did anyone express the slightest concern over what I may have been carrying in my baggage or on my person. Security wasn't lax on the trains. It was non-existent. And in these times, that is as scarey as the knowledge that any one of us can be detained for an undefined period of time because of the National Patriot Act.
I am obligated to point out that in the United States, we get to choose how we wish to travel. There is no one telling me that I have to take the airplane or the train or that I am restricted to the female only bus, no one dictating that I must be accompanied in public by a male relative, no one demanding that I see the world through a burqa. And there are a bunch of loved ones who now wish that our airport security was tighter on September 11th.
radical sapphoq
Showing posts with label broad autistic spectrum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label broad autistic spectrum. Show all posts
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Friday, June 13, 2008
Alex Barton, Asperger's and General Public MisEducation
The family of Alex Barton, the little Aspergian misbehaving five year old kindergardener, has decided to sue the school district for his treatment by teacher Wendy Portillo. It is reported that although he enjoyed talking on television, Alex is still evidencing signs of trauma. An attorney from the Liberty Legal Institute's Dallas branch office states that the suit is not without merit. Public opinion as expressed at the end of another article-- published by the T.C. Palm on June 7, 2008 range from "Oh noes Alex will have to goto court and that sucks," to "Give 'em a buck and be done with it," to "Yup, there is a case there." The blog Thinking in Metaphors over at
http://autisticnation.typepad.com/thinking_in_metaphors/2008/05/wendy-portillos/
comments/page/2/ is the place to go for a better understanding of the legal issues involved.
Autism, along with many other disabilities, continue to be misunderstood by the general public. Now I know that the general public does not have to understand every disability. But kids in a regular classroom should have the benefit of some accurate information. The real bother of the whole thing is that while "inclusive education" is the current buzzword, kids in general are not given any explanations about the conditions and disorders that may be effecting a few of their classmates. Thus a good friend of mine was left recently to explain Tourette's to his nine year old son. Nine year old was accused of not demonstrating an, uh, inclusive attitude because he had yelled "shut up" when a classmate kept cursing in the classroom one day. Apparently some regulation or concern about private medical information prevented the teacher from offering any useful information. The same reg or concern prompted the teacher to claim (erroneously in my estimation) that my friend did not have a right to explain Tourette's to his son either. Talk about insanity. If kids cannot talk about their differences, how are they ever going to come to an understanding of those differences? In my estimation, "Don't ask, don't tell" does not work when it comes to building community.
Now we have a teacher who decided to have a bunch of five year olds tell another five year old what they don't like about him or his behavior. Uncool for any child to have to go through. That teacher needs to find a different line of work. And in light of the lawsuit, the Florida school system would do well to inservice all of its' teachers on autistic spectrum disorder. Autism is indeed a broad spectrum of disorders. The three that illustrate a wide range of intellectual prowess and behavioral manifestations are classic (Kanner's) autism, Asperger's, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (P.D.D.-nos). [There are two other disorders included in the spectrum which probably should be moved to a different category.] Having been forced to sit through a few "sensitivity training sessions" myself, my own prejudice is that they don't do much. I still hold that the information should be offered to teachers as well as to the students and their parents. It is at least a beginning. Furthermore, any teacher who works in an inclusive classroom ought to be dually certified-- in special education as well as in elementary or secondary education (or whatever their primary field is).
The general assumption that "all people with autism" are screaming self-stimming innocents and perpetual children is one that I personally am a bit tired of dealing with. Just last night on secondlife dot com, my avatar tried to explain to someone who was annoyed with my adopted cousin's verbal behavior that yes indeed Aspergians can be verbally obnoxious just like anybody else. The avatar to whom this short explanation was directed had protested, "He doesn't have autism! Autistics don't provoke people." Interesting how any of us can suddenly know more than the neuropsych people who have spent years in testing and observation and diagnosing of a variety of disorders and conditions.
Autism in all of its' manifestations is not something that needs curing as the Autism Squeaks parents would have us believe. Nor is it something that should be celebrated in all of its' aspects. If the Aspergian bank teller wishes to keep his job, he needs to attend to matters of personal hygiene just like the rest of us. An autistic adult who is not able to communicate her basic needs or desires certainly has a tough life journey that not many of us would envy or want to emulate. Similar things could be said of any disabling condition or disorder. There was a time when I thought that traumatic brain injury was the worst thing that could happen to me. Then it did happen through the actions of a driver who really should not have gotten stoned before getting behind the wheel of his automobile. Traumatic brain injury is not the worst thing. And autism is not truly the thing that needs curing. The worst thing is ignorance and it is ignorance that needs healing.
radical sapphoq
References:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2980678/29447288
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/jun/07/alex-barton-family-plans-to-sue/
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-0612autisticboy,0,5446826.story
http://www.libertylegal.org/
http://autisticnation.typepad.com/thinking_in_metaphors/2008/05/wendy-portillos/
comments/page/2/ is the place to go for a better understanding of the legal issues involved.
Autism, along with many other disabilities, continue to be misunderstood by the general public. Now I know that the general public does not have to understand every disability. But kids in a regular classroom should have the benefit of some accurate information. The real bother of the whole thing is that while "inclusive education" is the current buzzword, kids in general are not given any explanations about the conditions and disorders that may be effecting a few of their classmates. Thus a good friend of mine was left recently to explain Tourette's to his nine year old son. Nine year old was accused of not demonstrating an, uh, inclusive attitude because he had yelled "shut up" when a classmate kept cursing in the classroom one day. Apparently some regulation or concern about private medical information prevented the teacher from offering any useful information. The same reg or concern prompted the teacher to claim (erroneously in my estimation) that my friend did not have a right to explain Tourette's to his son either. Talk about insanity. If kids cannot talk about their differences, how are they ever going to come to an understanding of those differences? In my estimation, "Don't ask, don't tell" does not work when it comes to building community.
Now we have a teacher who decided to have a bunch of five year olds tell another five year old what they don't like about him or his behavior. Uncool for any child to have to go through. That teacher needs to find a different line of work. And in light of the lawsuit, the Florida school system would do well to inservice all of its' teachers on autistic spectrum disorder. Autism is indeed a broad spectrum of disorders. The three that illustrate a wide range of intellectual prowess and behavioral manifestations are classic (Kanner's) autism, Asperger's, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (P.D.D.-nos). [There are two other disorders included in the spectrum which probably should be moved to a different category.] Having been forced to sit through a few "sensitivity training sessions" myself, my own prejudice is that they don't do much. I still hold that the information should be offered to teachers as well as to the students and their parents. It is at least a beginning. Furthermore, any teacher who works in an inclusive classroom ought to be dually certified-- in special education as well as in elementary or secondary education (or whatever their primary field is).
The general assumption that "all people with autism" are screaming self-stimming innocents and perpetual children is one that I personally am a bit tired of dealing with. Just last night on secondlife dot com, my avatar tried to explain to someone who was annoyed with my adopted cousin's verbal behavior that yes indeed Aspergians can be verbally obnoxious just like anybody else. The avatar to whom this short explanation was directed had protested, "He doesn't have autism! Autistics don't provoke people." Interesting how any of us can suddenly know more than the neuropsych people who have spent years in testing and observation and diagnosing of a variety of disorders and conditions.
Autism in all of its' manifestations is not something that needs curing as the Autism Squeaks parents would have us believe. Nor is it something that should be celebrated in all of its' aspects. If the Aspergian bank teller wishes to keep his job, he needs to attend to matters of personal hygiene just like the rest of us. An autistic adult who is not able to communicate her basic needs or desires certainly has a tough life journey that not many of us would envy or want to emulate. Similar things could be said of any disabling condition or disorder. There was a time when I thought that traumatic brain injury was the worst thing that could happen to me. Then it did happen through the actions of a driver who really should not have gotten stoned before getting behind the wheel of his automobile. Traumatic brain injury is not the worst thing. And autism is not truly the thing that needs curing. The worst thing is ignorance and it is ignorance that needs healing.
radical sapphoq
References:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2980678/29447288
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/jun/07/alex-barton-family-plans-to-sue/
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-0612autisticboy,0,5446826.story
http://www.libertylegal.org/
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Wendy Portillo Speaks, after a fashion
Here is the link:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may/29/
police-report-reveals-teachers-side-incident-which/
?feedback=1#comments
According to Wendy Portillo:
1. Alex was voted out of the classroom for the rest of the day, not for good.
2. Alex was under a desk, pushing it up with his feet.
3. Second discipline referral that day.
4. Ms. Portillo wanted Alex to hear from other kids the impact of his behavior.
5. Ms. Portillo stated there are inaccuracies in a written report.
Alex's short list of crimes accused of by other students as noted by Alex to a police officer:
1. eating paper
2. picking his nose
3. eating his boogers
4. biting his shoelaces
Alex's list of bad things about Ms. Portillo as noted by Alex to a police officer:
1. She told Alex Barton that she hates him [at the time of the incident].
2. She scratched him.
3. She stepped on his shoelaces.
4. She pulled his shirt collar.
N.B. Ms. Portillo and other kids in the class refuted the last three allegations from Alex.
At least one parent has stated that Ms. Portillo is:
1. exceptional
2. caring
3. top-notch
My good friend Jeremy Crow (and those who are unfamiliar with his writing really ought to seek out his blogs) does not defend the teacher however he does point out that there has to be more to this story than is written. To that I certainly agree. I have to wonder if this incident was isolated or if it was a larger part of a long chain of incidents. Perhaps there have been other on-going issues and problems and this was the end result.
What the teacher did, as reported-- in my opinion-- was morally and ethically wrong.
This situation does bring up questions about inclusive education, the availability of aides in each classroom, teacher supervision, and the accuracy of testimony of children. I don't have any answers, just a bunch of thoughts and suppos-eds.
Seems to me that this incident surely was not the first indication that Alex Barton and Ms. Wendy Portillo were having a problem. As the adult and a teacher, Ms. Portillo has the responsibility to seek out supervision when there is a child that she finds extremely vexing in her classroom that she is either unwilling or unable to deal with.
The questions of inclusive classrooms vs. resource room pull-outs vs. special education classes I shall leave to those better qualified to answer. http://autism.about.com/b/2008/05/30/
your-thoughts-requested-how-far-should-teachers-go-to-include-children-with-autism.htm
My own observations are anecdotal in nature only and thus aren't anything to base a course of action on. Here I must point out that Alex Barton was in the process of testing on May 27th and now has been labeled as having Asperger's and A.D.H.D. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/30/earlyshow/
living/parenting/main4140155.shtml
The question about the accuracy of testimony of children-- children are not always very accurate. There are court cases and things written about elsewhere that point this out. To wit, the McMartin case and the children satanic sexual abuse scares of the 80s and 90s hold some examples.
http://www.newamerica.net/publications/articles/2001/the_devil_in_the_nursery
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/psychology/mcmartin_daycare/5.html
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/psychology/mcmartin_daycare/9.html
http://abusearticles.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/
investigative-issues-in-ritual-abuse-cases-part-1-and-2-1994/
http://www.religioustolerance.org/ra_mcmar.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/ra_case.htm
http://www.rickross.com/reference/false_memories/fsm66.html
http://www.illinoisfms.org/200505ar.html
The question about the accuracy of testimony of the accused-- let's just say that adults have been known to be reckless with the truth in a cover-your-ass world. What will come of this remains to be seen. I gather from perusing other blogs that the Dr. Phil show folks http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/
may/29/30gt-autistic-student-mom-receive-worldwide-hed/
have called Melissa Barton, looking for an appearance on his show. And that Alex's mother is talking about suing.
Ms. Portillo continues under administrative duties as of this writing. And Alex continues to not attend school, apparently due to his mother's wishes. He did get to talk on the telephone with a schoolmate and will get to visit this summer.
radical sapphoq
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may/29/
police-report-reveals-teachers-side-incident-which/
?feedback=1#comments
According to Wendy Portillo:
1. Alex was voted out of the classroom for the rest of the day, not for good.
2. Alex was under a desk, pushing it up with his feet.
3. Second discipline referral that day.
4. Ms. Portillo wanted Alex to hear from other kids the impact of his behavior.
5. Ms. Portillo stated there are inaccuracies in a written report.
Alex's short list of crimes accused of by other students as noted by Alex to a police officer:
1. eating paper
2. picking his nose
3. eating his boogers
4. biting his shoelaces
Alex's list of bad things about Ms. Portillo as noted by Alex to a police officer:
1. She told Alex Barton that she hates him [at the time of the incident].
2. She scratched him.
3. She stepped on his shoelaces.
4. She pulled his shirt collar.
N.B. Ms. Portillo and other kids in the class refuted the last three allegations from Alex.
At least one parent has stated that Ms. Portillo is:
1. exceptional
2. caring
3. top-notch
My good friend Jeremy Crow (and those who are unfamiliar with his writing really ought to seek out his blogs) does not defend the teacher however he does point out that there has to be more to this story than is written. To that I certainly agree. I have to wonder if this incident was isolated or if it was a larger part of a long chain of incidents. Perhaps there have been other on-going issues and problems and this was the end result.
What the teacher did, as reported-- in my opinion-- was morally and ethically wrong.
This situation does bring up questions about inclusive education, the availability of aides in each classroom, teacher supervision, and the accuracy of testimony of children. I don't have any answers, just a bunch of thoughts and suppos-eds.
Seems to me that this incident surely was not the first indication that Alex Barton and Ms. Wendy Portillo were having a problem. As the adult and a teacher, Ms. Portillo has the responsibility to seek out supervision when there is a child that she finds extremely vexing in her classroom that she is either unwilling or unable to deal with.
The questions of inclusive classrooms vs. resource room pull-outs vs. special education classes I shall leave to those better qualified to answer. http://autism.about.com/b/2008/05/30/
your-thoughts-requested-how-far-should-teachers-go-to-include-children-with-autism.htm
My own observations are anecdotal in nature only and thus aren't anything to base a course of action on. Here I must point out that Alex Barton was in the process of testing on May 27th and now has been labeled as having Asperger's and A.D.H.D. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/30/earlyshow/
living/parenting/main4140155.shtml
The question about the accuracy of testimony of children-- children are not always very accurate. There are court cases and things written about elsewhere that point this out. To wit, the McMartin case and the children satanic sexual abuse scares of the 80s and 90s hold some examples.
http://www.newamerica.net/publications/articles/2001/the_devil_in_the_nursery
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/psychology/mcmartin_daycare/5.html
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/psychology/mcmartin_daycare/9.html
http://abusearticles.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/
investigative-issues-in-ritual-abuse-cases-part-1-and-2-1994/
http://www.religioustolerance.org/ra_mcmar.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/ra_case.htm
http://www.rickross.com/reference/false_memories/fsm66.html
http://www.illinoisfms.org/200505ar.html
The question about the accuracy of testimony of the accused-- let's just say that adults have been known to be reckless with the truth in a cover-your-ass world. What will come of this remains to be seen. I gather from perusing other blogs that the Dr. Phil show folks http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/
may/29/30gt-autistic-student-mom-receive-worldwide-hed/
have called Melissa Barton, looking for an appearance on his show. And that Alex's mother is talking about suing.
Ms. Portillo continues under administrative duties as of this writing. And Alex continues to not attend school, apparently due to his mother's wishes. He did get to talk on the telephone with a schoolmate and will get to visit this summer.
radical sapphoq
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Voted Out of Kindergarten-- Alex Barton
The blond-haired little boy stared back at me from a photo distributed on the w.w.w. [w.w.w. = world wide wasteoftime]. In a parody of democracy in action, Alex Barton was voted out of kindergarten for the remainder of the school day last Wednesday. His crime? Having a neurological condition called Asperger's and some associated behavioral problems. The teacher-- a Wendy Portillo-- cajoled her class into voting. And reportedly had children describe what they didn't like about young Alex. One reported adjective was "disgusting." Two kids voted to keep Alex in the classroom that day. The majority voted that he be excluded. Alex who was just returned to the class from the principal's office for his behavior spent the rest of the school day in the nurse's office. Needless to say, Alex has not been thrilled about his experience.
Although folks on both sides of the issue have resorted to name-calling, what I find even more repugnant are the public comments which support Wendy Portillo in her actions. Her excuse ran something like teaching the children about tallying. I wasn't there but I have an opinion anyways-- bovine fecal matter to that. Was the teacher lying about the whys and wherefores of her ill-advised election activity a la Survivor fashion? Nah, she was just being reckless with the truth.
Yes, I know how difficult it can be to maintain reasonable discipline and order in any rowdy bunch of human beings. Been there, done that. Yes I am intimately acquainted with the cluster of symptoms which comprise Asperger's. Of course I know how aggravating it is to herd cats.
I also know the frustration of living with atypical neurology.
I do not belong to the Autism Squeaks camp. [Autism Speaks but not for me, a curebie organization of unhappy parents]. I don't understand why forcing eye contact is such a big deal to neurotypicals, don't wish to blend in, will not give up my passions, and certainly will continue to celebrate diversity. I hate all clothing that is not cotton. I detest polyester and nylon in particular. I don't use makeup or wear high heels. I used to stare at the dust specks illuminated by the sunlight pouring through a window. I was clumsy rather than graceful and the last to be picked for any gym class team. I have been accused of staring too long, daydreaming, having obsessions with the things that are of intense interest to me, being intense or too intense or thinking too much about weird things or the wrong things, eating food in a specific order rather than varying what is on the fork from bite to bite, eating the same thing for breakfast daily, not making small talk, not caring about small talk or the lives of celebrities, being a geek or a space cadet or pedantic, not fitting in. And worse, daring to be content with my own company and my own internal focus and my own way of being.
No Child Left Behind. One Child Voted Out.
radical sapphoq says: A huge phooey to Wendy Portillo. As an adult and as a teacher, I cannot believe that she didn't have other options for dealing with a misbehaving five year old.
While I support reasonable discipline and consequences for one's actions, I abhor what happened to Alex Barton. I sincerely hope that he will find a new classroom where he is valued for who he is, a teacher who knows about the issues that people on the broad autistic spectrum face and who has a better arsenal of tools for keeping order in a classroom.
Bev over at Autism Square 8 has an excellent list of who to write to should anyone feel so inclined:
http://aspergersquare8.blogspot.com/2008/05/not-special-support-alex-barton.html
Educate yourselves if you wish to. Here is a partial incomplete list which includes two news articles from the same newspaper in Florida and some other bloggers who are blogging about this crapola:
excellent thoughts about this whole mess
http://lastcrazyhorn.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/the-golden-rule/
Laura Hershey
http://crip-power.com/2008/05/27/thoughts-on-alex-barton-and-the-way-we-organize/
the politics of exclusion
http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/mend-the-link/
Amanda
http://ballastexistenz.autistics.org/?p=538
an interview with Alex Barton and his mother
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/27/earlyshow/main4130288.shtml
two Palm Beach Post articles-- links working as of 5/28/08
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/treasurecoast/content/tcoast/epaper/
2008/05/27/0527slteacher.html#comments
and
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/treasurecoast/content/tcoast/epaper/
2008/05/23/0523slclassvote.html?cxntlid=inform_artr
Although folks on both sides of the issue have resorted to name-calling, what I find even more repugnant are the public comments which support Wendy Portillo in her actions. Her excuse ran something like teaching the children about tallying. I wasn't there but I have an opinion anyways-- bovine fecal matter to that. Was the teacher lying about the whys and wherefores of her ill-advised election activity a la Survivor fashion? Nah, she was just being reckless with the truth.
Yes, I know how difficult it can be to maintain reasonable discipline and order in any rowdy bunch of human beings. Been there, done that. Yes I am intimately acquainted with the cluster of symptoms which comprise Asperger's. Of course I know how aggravating it is to herd cats.
I also know the frustration of living with atypical neurology.
I do not belong to the Autism Squeaks camp. [Autism Speaks but not for me, a curebie organization of unhappy parents]. I don't understand why forcing eye contact is such a big deal to neurotypicals, don't wish to blend in, will not give up my passions, and certainly will continue to celebrate diversity. I hate all clothing that is not cotton. I detest polyester and nylon in particular. I don't use makeup or wear high heels. I used to stare at the dust specks illuminated by the sunlight pouring through a window. I was clumsy rather than graceful and the last to be picked for any gym class team. I have been accused of staring too long, daydreaming, having obsessions with the things that are of intense interest to me, being intense or too intense or thinking too much about weird things or the wrong things, eating food in a specific order rather than varying what is on the fork from bite to bite, eating the same thing for breakfast daily, not making small talk, not caring about small talk or the lives of celebrities, being a geek or a space cadet or pedantic, not fitting in. And worse, daring to be content with my own company and my own internal focus and my own way of being.
No Child Left Behind. One Child Voted Out.
radical sapphoq says: A huge phooey to Wendy Portillo. As an adult and as a teacher, I cannot believe that she didn't have other options for dealing with a misbehaving five year old.
While I support reasonable discipline and consequences for one's actions, I abhor what happened to Alex Barton. I sincerely hope that he will find a new classroom where he is valued for who he is, a teacher who knows about the issues that people on the broad autistic spectrum face and who has a better arsenal of tools for keeping order in a classroom.
Bev over at Autism Square 8 has an excellent list of who to write to should anyone feel so inclined:
http://aspergersquare8.blogspot.com/2008/05/not-special-support-alex-barton.html
Educate yourselves if you wish to. Here is a partial incomplete list which includes two news articles from the same newspaper in Florida and some other bloggers who are blogging about this crapola:
excellent thoughts about this whole mess
http://lastcrazyhorn.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/the-golden-rule/
Laura Hershey
http://crip-power.com/2008/05/27/thoughts-on-alex-barton-and-the-way-we-organize/
the politics of exclusion
http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/mend-the-link/
Amanda
http://ballastexistenz.autistics.org/?p=538
an interview with Alex Barton and his mother
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/27/earlyshow/main4130288.shtml
two Palm Beach Post articles-- links working as of 5/28/08
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/treasurecoast/content/tcoast/epaper/
2008/05/27/0527slteacher.html#comments
and
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/treasurecoast/content/tcoast/epaper/
2008/05/23/0523slclassvote.html?cxntlid=inform_artr
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