Teacher says student with aspergers is like a robot

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So this is pulled out of context a bit. Anyway we were talking about thought processes and the importance of how people deal with frustration on school projects. So he mentioned that the only student he knew of that was not frustrated with a particular project is an aspie. He said this guy never makes mistakes, he is like a robot. I did not know what to say, i was tempted to tell him i make mistakes all the time. He does not know im on the spectrum. I just let it be at the time.

I am tempted of coming out to him and say something about promoting stereotypes like that but i am not sure about it.

What do you do when something like this happens ?.

Revealing medical and financial info should be on a need to know basis.

Yes it would seem that way in most schools, our school is a bit different. People are more open about stuff like autism because its more prevalent. Which is why i was a bit shocked that this particular teacher seemed ignorant about it.

Aspie is the new emo.

There is something a bit "robotic" about the way I engage the world--computer-like is probably a better word for it. I tend to do things the same way every time, as though running on a program; and my mistakes come from misapplying a program, persisting in using a program that should have been changed, or misunderstanding a program and using it incorrectly. Without a program, I'm simply frozen and unable to act at all.

I don't see why that style would make anyone infallible, incapable of making mistakes. It might make their actions quite predictable, to people who knew them anyway. But in the case of this kid who "never makes mistakes"--why can't his teacher just conclude that he is talented in the subjects where he's producing near-perfect work? That's what it would be if an NT child did that sort of work and I don't see why an Aspie is any different.

If the particular guy is like a robot, then it's not promoting stereotypes to say that he is. Saying "Aspies are like robots" is promoting a stereotype.

Saying that someone is promoting a stereotype when they are describing one person; on the spectrum/of a certain ethnicity/of a certain religion/with a certain physical or mental disorder/from a certain country/with certain coloring/of a certain subculture etc, would no more be perpetuating or promoting a stereotype than saying "My son is really great at math" is promoting the stereotype that boys are good at math. Or if he's an aspie, that aspies are. Having that outlook on statements can eventually cause people to not describe someone accurately because they don't want to be offensive, when the comment isn't offensive in and of itself.

If it's singular, it's a description of the subect of the conversation that seems true to the speaker. If it's plural it could be a stereotype or it could be a description of a particular group of subjects or it could be a description of an entire subgroup of people that the speaker has not observed. The former is an observation, the latter a stereotype.

I personally would fit the stereotype of "girls can't do math". I cannot without a calculator for anything harder than multiplication. I personally would not fit the stereotype of "aspies are good at math" because of the above reason. I think I'm good to go though, because I cancel my stereotypes out.

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The teacher may have meant it in a positive way, and may have meant that that one student was like a robot, unless he said something like "people with Asperger's are like robots."

I make mistakes at school. I get good grades though. I get frustrated with alot of the assignments like the ones I'm not interested in, and the group stuff.

I'd let it ride.

You could say something about it without necessarily telling him you're an aspie. For instance, you can honestly say you know people (ie. many of us on this site) who are not like that at all, and might view his comment as offensive.

While it sounds like he meant this in a positive way, a "positive stereotype" is still a stereotype. The example that is often used is the stereotype "Asians are good at math" can be hurtful to Asians who are not good at math. Similarly, suggesting that aspies never make mistakes puts unnecessary pressure on you, and you shouldn't be made to feel that way. I would probably very politely say something about it because I suspect he honestly does not realize this.