Autism Issues in Academic Positions

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I can't remember a thread during my time here addressing the issues of AS people who are teaching academics. In fact I can't think of a single media article, speech, film, program, seminar or conference which has addressed the topic. Another first for Wrong Planet? This invisibility is a bad thing for everyone on the spectrum, academic or not. Why is there such a silence about ability and such screaming about disability and inability? (I know why, I do understand political agendas, it's a rhetorical question only).

The Third Glance is the only blog I have discovered that discusses the topic from the perspective of an academic insider.

The piece on why the writer there chose not to disclose was particularly poignant to me.

https://thethirdglance.wordpress.com/category/academia/

This is an important subject to talk about as I am planning to go into the teaching field myself. I often get complimented on my work as an Instructional Assistant and how I do an amazing job/ have helped the students I work with so much. I do a lot of research in order to help the students I work with. I feel passionate about teaching the next generation about English/ I want to help future writers discover their potential.

I think, at least in the academic field, when one hears the word Autism, it conjures up (and for the longest time, it did in my mind as well) images of non verbal children having metal downs and needing intense one-on-one instruction to even form a basic sentence or to go to even write their names. And because of how the media is, there has been little to change that. So the idea of HFA/ Aspies is still something that the academic workplace has yet to embrace or even talk about, much less openly embraced.

Yes, a very important topic.

B19, have sent you a PM. Perhaps we should start actively doing something about this issue and the related issue of the deficit based paradigm, at least in NZ.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

The academics engaged in teaching or research which I personally have interacted on WP are working in or have worked in sociology, neuroscience research, chemistry, maths and psychology. Given that I generally stick to discussions on this particular forum, there may well be many more I am not aware of who participate on other forums here, it would be surprising if there were not also academics here who teach things like computer engineering, or work in those faculties in other capacities. Philosophy and physics are dear to certain AS people too so it would be surprising if there weren't some representatives from those disciplines here also.

Perhaps other members can enlighten me further as to various presences on other forums?

I'm involved in and interested in academia. I find it to be one of the least AS-friendly environments, both in terms of structure and social environment. It unsurprisingly reflects the wider culture. Science is too mainstream to tolerate too much difference. It's like a vast corporation.

It's become increasingly corporatised, no argument there. The commodification of education as a market product was the basis for that development and it has been going on for 30 years now. Governments wish to control academia much more now than at any time since the very first universities were opened by religious orders centuries ago.

Academic freedom is under threat in very sinister and underhand ways - at least in New Zealand, the only context in which I am able to closely observe this trend and the allied political agendas operating at various structural levels.

Though that's another topic altogether (and a huge one).

Overall, it seems to me that there is less acceptance of eccentricity within an academic context than previously.

There is more emphasis on getting along with colleagues because many academics must serve on committees now.

Certain academic jobs may not be suitable though for people with HFA or Asperger syndrome do to the high reliance on good executive function, generalizing one situation to the next, creativity, and many more, our lower intelligence levels and other intellectual impairments (see Autism Calgary myths about asperger syndrome) make it hard to acquire these kinds of jobs.

You really are functioning on WP as a "johnny one note" so far.. not trolling by any chance?

http://www.autismcalgary.com/what-is-asd/myths-facts/

Please read this and tell me what you find to be untrue.

Stop trying to derail this thread. Now.

People who (annoyingly) try to discount your teaching competence, (and the unnecessary hurt they cause):

https://thethirdglance.wordpress.com/20 ... d-teacher/