Should Autistic Children Go to Separate Schools?
Filed under: In The News
Does an autism diagnosis warrant a different school? Credit: Getty Images
Should children with autism have schools of their own? New Jersey Governor Chris Christie thinks so. But not everyone agrees.
The New York Times reports that Christie believes that not only will the specialized schools provide a better learning environment for autistic children, they will also save money. New Jersey is one of many states with severe budget woes.
Of course, as with all things autism, not everyone agrees. Diana Autin of the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network calls the proposed schools "another segregated setting for children with autism," adding that the plan would "send a message to parents that children with autism can't be included," according to The Times. Linda Meyer of Autism New Jersey counters that a separate school would be able to provide better services to children in need.
Some New Jersey counties already have specialized schools for autistic children. ABC News recently ran a story showcasing the Somerset Hills Learning Institute, highlighting the success many students have achieved in an environment tailored for their specific needs.
What do you think? Should autistic children go to separate schools? Or is that just a way for society to further marginalize children with autism?
Got an idea for the Chatterbox? Talk to us!











ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
1-18-2011 @ 4:02PM
Kslav said...I understand the that people want their children to be included, however, I think that if you really think about what is best for the child inclusion does not always win. The best thing is the place where the child can have the MOST individual sucess. Not where they are made to feel inferior because they cannot keep pace with someone else.
Reply
1-18-2011 @ 4:04PM
JM said...I transport children with autism and yes I do believe they should be in their own enviroment until able to move on to other schools. These children can be very hard to handle and understand and trust me you parents out there,most people driving your kids around have absolutely no clue to what they could be capable of or the strengths they have!!! Many of my associates have been hurt,due to the fact that the companies do not tell you what things can happen to you,in each childs case,or they may not have empolyees. Its all about the money!!!!! Out of all the kids I have driven I had one parent totally inform us of the behaviors and yes,dangers we could entail.1!
Reply
1-18-2011 @ 4:19PM
Concerned Parent said...Autism is a spectrum disorder, thus it is not one sized fits all. As with typically developing children, there should be differentiated learning which seems to not be the status quo in New Jersey education. Most of the specialized schools cater to children with more severe deficits on the Autism Spectrrum. Not all of our children have below average intelligence or severe behavior problems. What we need are educators who are willing to work with ALL children. They need to actually complete Functional Behavioral Assessments(Analysis) and utilize them in designing Behavior Intervention Plans. They need to bring back the rights designed under IDEA, and not be permitted to change IEPs after the IEP Team has met. They need to not be permitted to use physical restraints as a form of behavior modification when they have not put forth the time and data collection necessary to create a viable plan. They need to stop blaming innocent children and start putting the responsibility in the hands of those that are supposed to be trained in educating students. You have the Office of Special Education ignoring parents concerns, as documented, for years which results in lawsuits and more money being spent in an already struggling state. Instead of making excuses, maybe we need to look at what the real issues are in this state and start investigating.
Reply
1-18-2011 @ 5:40PM
Char said...I agree with you. Diagnosed with Asperger's in 7th grade, I do remember my parents battling with teachers before I had a concrete IEP. I even had a counselor who suggested I should go to a school for delinquents. Fortunately, my teachers from that point on followed the plan religiously when it was finished.
However, what will happen in college? When I went to Tri-C, East campus, I had a teacher who deliberately violated my accommodations set by the special needs center in the school. Each teacher had to sign that they agreed to follow the plan. However, the one day I told my teacher I was so stressed out that I had to leave (the plan allowed me to leave class in times of stress), she told me to sit down and stay in class. I think there needs to be stronger rules for college teachers as well as elementary through high school. We need teachers motivated to teach, not just babysit. We need empathy and understanding.
I also think basic Psychology and child development courses should also be required to get a teaching degree.
1-19-2011 @ 10:24AM
awiser said...I think this a wonderful idea. Unitl parents with children with autism stop using the ADA to bankrupt schools with their outlandish demands (often entailing a lawsuti that the school has to pay expenses for as well, using money that could be better spent on other children). I had a child in my son's pre-k that was autistic. The requiremens for pre -k were that the child had to be potty trained and able to preform basic hygene functions. THESE STANDARDS SHOULD APPLY TO ALL KIDSM, EVEN THOSE WITH AUTISM. The mother of the autistic child demanded that he be allowed to attend pre-k. He was not potty-trained. He had to have an aid who only attended to him (she would not even assist another child open his milk). The autisic child would poop his pants and then smeer the poop on other kids. He also bit several children. After my son was bitten a second time, I told my son to just stay and from him and not sit next to him. MY SON got into trouble and had to have a special meeting because he refused to play with THAT child. Now that child is still in regular school, but mostly recieving special ed outside of the normal classroom (why even bother, the kids all know that he is being pulled out cause he needs it, stop trying to disillusion yourself). I saw him at recess one day crying under a tree and asked my son what was going on and he said that is what the autistic child always does at recess, cause no one wants to play with him cause he poops and bites. If that mother would just see how much pain her child is in, and how the services her child is getting is depleting the services that other children can get, maybe we could get somewhere. But autistic parents use ADA as their sword, and they will damn the other kids just so their kid gets to take a dog to school. Public schools are for the general public and can not cater to the demands of some of these parents.
Reply
1-22-2011 @ 11:51AM
Olena said...Awiser,
I think your child would benefit if you taught him the meaning of compassion. That child crying under the tree just breaks my heart and he needs our acceptance most of all not a more segregated environment. I do agree that the staff working with that child should be properly trained to minimize the impact if the toilet accidents do occur.
This is so sad how heartless we are raising our children to be. This is definitely going to come back to us one day...
2-23-2011 @ 6:31PM
bigbroseven said...u need alittle education yourself. i am a mother of a 10 yr old autistic son who quit frankly was very difficult to potty train. these kids need to be involve in school to help with there socializing skills. that is a very big part of "life"&if you are fortunate enough to get your autistic child diagnosed early enough you could possibly not have as many problems as say some1 who didnt get diagnosed early & didnt put there child in school cuz they werent potty trained. it is a double edged sword for parents, that dont have "normal kids " like you!
1-19-2011 @ 1:21PM
Nicole said...awiser, you are not very wise. Because you are not a parent of a child with Autism you will never believe the possibilities for this child. You are not supportive of differences, your child knows this. This attitude is the problem....
Reply
1-19-2011 @ 2:37PM
momof2 said...Well said, Nicole. It's hardly the autistic child's fault that his accommodations while in general education are insufficient. Neglecting him during unstructured time is simply unacceptable, and it appalls me that this child is so poorly supervised as to be a threat to others. That reflects very badly on the adults in charge. Sounds as if the aide needs additional training for how to navigate both the playground and the classroom setting so as not simply to babysit him. The job of the aide is to help to teach the child skills to integrate better. And many of these kids can and do integrate quite well, given time and appropriate guidance. I've seen kids with severe autism literally transformed over the course of a few years when included, if this is done compassionately and well. The alternative is for children to waste away in special day class or non-public school holding tanks, where any skills that they do have atrophy and their behavior, if anything, grows worse. Oh, and by the way, awiser, the law in question is not the ADA, it's IDEA, and it is very specific about what is to be done. The schools are bankrupting themselves by hauling parents to court in blatant attempts to get around Federal law, not the other way around. If they just did what was right to begin with instead of warehousing kids, they'd save plenty of money. Instead they make many of these kids struggle far more than they have to, and that does cost the schools and the taxpayers quite dearly in the end. What is smarter: Preparing these children to be active and productive citizens? Or neglecting them so that they are dependent on the "system" for life?
1-20-2011 @ 12:13PM
kschenk said...Autism is really a big Spectrum my daughter is autistic and functions in the top 1/3 of her "normal classroom" the immersion with "normal" peers is her best therapy to continuing to develop into a person with appropriate socail skills. My so is in an autism spcefic classroom and is greatly effected by his autism, he needs inclusion oppurtunities into "normal" education settings with "normal" kids to meet his emerging peer modeling needs. Specifically he learns from watching others and if all he sees is autistic kids at home and school he will never make much progress. The peers he is integrated with with develop more well rounded socail skills in exceptance and understanding that will pay off with their interactions with the tech and math geeks they will meet through their whole lives.
Reply
1-30-2011 @ 5:50PM
amy said...i have 2 boys with autism so schools are a big deal to me sometimes i think it would be a good ideal to have special needs schools because to me the reg schools dont have a clue on how to deal with the needs of some children my 3yr old started pre k in aug at a school for children with developement disorders hes doin good and my 6yr old started reg k classes in aug and they already moved him to behavorial school cause they couldnt handle him so for me it would be better for my children if they had special schools cause my 6yr old is to to old to go to same school as his brother he went ther 2yrs before he went on to kindergarten
Reply
2-23-2011 @ 6:22PM
bigbroseven said...im sorry your school has made you feel this way. i have a 10 yr old autistic son who goes to public schools& hid teacher josh french is just he best. hes taught my son how to read&write&do math. i couldnt havehad a bettter teacher, as far as my son moving up next year, i will say i am concerned,i think it depends on the teacher to be honest with u.. good luck