Autistic running for Madison, Wisconsin School board

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Vander Meulen's life story gives her a unique perspective that we think will be of great value on the board. She has lived with two disabilities, Asperger's syndrome and cerebral palsy, and with her own self-advocacy and the support of her family, she fought the social stigma and cruel stereotyping that could have stood in the way of her goals.

Against the odds, she earned a law degree, opened her own law office, and has spent the past several years as a juvenile rights attorney, advocating for and representing troubled young people. Many of her clients are youth who have been suspended or expelled from school. Vander Meulen is a big believer in doing everything possible to keep students in the classroom, noting that the achievement gap will otherwise never be conquered. To that end, she supports the expansion of restorative justice programs and peer courts. She also favors further work on MMSD's Behavior Education Plan to make the criteria for consequences of unacceptable behavior more objective. She thinks clearer understanding of what's expected will help break the cycle of constant punishment and help keep youth out of trouble and in school.

Many of the kids in the legal system, she points out, also have disabilities. She'll be able to use her firsthand knowledge of the struggles students with disabilities face to promote another of her priorities: better training of staff on how to work with these students to improve their educational experience and keep them in school and out of the legal system. Bullying is also an issue she cares about deeply and hopes to contribute to solving.