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Sea Gull
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07 Sep 2012, 4:26 pm

So my middle school has Autism Awareness month in April.
They hand out information specific to severe autism and autistic savants, and rarely, if ever, mention high functioning Autism or Asperger's. Then they force kids to make posters and stuff about it, largely inaccurate information about how autistic people "don't feel pain" or have "no real fear of danger". I find it pretty offensive.
What can I do about it? Anyone think that trying to form a committee of neurotypical and spectrum kids to regulate it would help? I'm open to all ideas. I've suffered through it silently for two years, and would really like to do something.



BenPritchard
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08 Sep 2012, 5:41 am

I've always disagreed with the whole Autism Awareness thing in schools. They always get their information wrong and in my opinion it just gives neurotypicals more knowledge on how to crack into someone with AS.



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25 Sep 2012, 8:08 pm

Books such as the Curious Incident of the Dog in the nighttime (mandatory reading at ALL schools in my area) really give a false idea of asperger syndrome/ autism. I'm considering going to the head of my English department in an attempt to get this book removed from the reading list at our school at least. What I don't think people realize is that someday in the workplace, they may encounter someone with Asperger's at a fairly high level position. In my math class whenever someone gets a complicated problem right they call them "Rain Man" (this movie was shown to the class to supplement the Curious Incident...) in reference to the movie. I don't even think that the schools are aware of this false hood and as a result, they pass it down to their students. After someone has seen Rain Man, there is no way in he# that you are going to tell them that you have AS. This is why I think people have such a problem being open about their AS.



OliveOilMom
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25 Sep 2012, 8:55 pm

I would suggest that you go to your principal, tell him that you have AS and that you are concerned about the inaccurate information given during autism awareness month. Have two or three examples for him and then offer to do some research and help put together a useful and accurate report for him to hand on to the teachers so that they can teach things accurately.


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MakaylaTheAspie
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26 Sep 2012, 12:08 am

For the last year, I've been the one organizing Autism Awareness in my school. Nothing goes through unless both the principal and I see it first. I try my best to not let any false interpretations be shown, and my principal is well informed on ASDs.

I'm taking it to a new level this year, as well. I'm going to have an Autism Awareness week sometime in November, and I'll (hopefully, though it isn't confirmed yet) be organizing an activism campaign in April next year.

My advice, step up and change it. It's pretty obvious that it wont fix itself.


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d057
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30 Sep 2012, 7:39 pm

I find Autism Awareness Day to be just as phony as Valentines Day. Every single day is an "Autism Awareness Day" for me. Why would I pick one day or one week out of the whole year to teach people about Autism? I'm sorry, but that is how I feel about it. Most "Autism Awareness Day" activities about my school consisted of teaching people about how terrible the "disease" is. I had absolutely no desire to interact with people in my high school because of how ignorant they really were. The majority of people in my high school were too involved with the issues within their group of friends to give a damn about people who are different from themselves.


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30 Sep 2012, 7:45 pm

MakaylaTheAspie wrote:
For the last year, I've been the one organizing Autism Awareness in my school. Nothing goes through unless both the principal and I see it first. I try my best to not let any false interpretations be shown, and my principal is well informed on ASDs.

I'm taking it to a new level this year, as well. I'm going to have an Autism Awareness week sometime in November, and I'll (hopefully, though it isn't confirmed yet) be organizing an activism campaign in April next year.

My advice, step up and change it. It's pretty obvious that it wont fix itself.


Awesome.

I agree.

Step up and change it.

It'll only get worse by itself.



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06 Oct 2012, 6:22 am

Last year, I did two things:

I told everyone that it was Parkinson's Awareness Month [which it is; and my grandmother has Parkinson's so that also concerns me], and I wrote a very detailed article citing scientific studies and specific incidents that went in the newspaper and was handed out in the Caf.

I think about twenty students actually read the stupid thing.

The teachers all read it and said it was a good article.



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06 Oct 2012, 6:24 am

MakaylaTheAspie wrote:
For the last year, I've been the one organizing Autism Awareness in my school. Nothing goes through unless both the principal and I see it first. I try my best to not let any false interpretations be shown, and my principal is well informed on ASDs.

I'm taking it to a new level this year, as well. I'm going to have an Autism Awareness week sometime in November, and I'll (hopefully, though it isn't confirmed yet) be organizing an activism campaign in April next year.

My advice, step up and change it. It's pretty obvious that it wont fix itself.


I love you. Have a cookie.

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thewhitrbbit
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06 Oct 2012, 10:13 am

LennytheWicked wrote:
Last year, I did two things:

I told everyone that it was Parkinson's Awareness Month [which it is; and my grandmother has Parkinson's so that also concerns me], and I wrote a very detailed article citing scientific studies and specific incidents that went in the newspaper and was handed out in the Caf.

I think about twenty students actually read the stupid thing.

The teachers all read it and said it was a good article.


I def can tell you put effort into it but, not to be mean, that might not have been the best way to reach students. Dry material usually doesn't catch the NT.



CyborgUprising
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06 Oct 2012, 11:29 am

It was actually for the better our schools did not have ASD awareness or related events. Given the culture of the youth attending said schools, everyone would take to calling every geeky, nerdy, socially-awkward, homosexual, goth, punk or any other "strange kid" "an ass-burger" or "an autistic" among other things. Starting a club or committee may be effective, but first take into consideration the school's youth culture. Would they want to hear what your committee has to say? Would it only draw undue attention?, Would you receive less respect if you "came out?" Don't get me wrong: I'm 100% behind anyone who wants to take a stand on issues they feel are important; I just do not want to see them fall on their faces either (in my region, you don't talk about such things lest you wish to become an instant pariah and lose everything you've worked hard for, and I am not about to lose a decent-paying job).