Virginia Budget Controversy
In the Charlottesville Daily Progress, Paula C. Durbin-Westby of ASAN stated her opposition to proposed budget cuts that would hurt people with disabilities.
March 4, 2010
Ianthe Dempsey
JFAAN Statement on House Passage of Restraint and Seclusion Legislation
The Justice for All Action Network (JFAAN), a coalition of disability-led organizations, applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passage of HR 4247, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act.
March 4, 2010
The Perils of Normalization
An essay by Gwen McKay. Autistic individuals may, for example, rock back and forth when they are anxious or flap their hands when they are happy and excited. Behavioral programs often focus on suppressing these autistic traits because they are socially stigmatized, without considering whether they serve any useful neurological functions such as processing the associated emotions and their expression in language.
March 1, 2010
ACTION ALERT: Restraint & Seclusion Legislation National Call-In Day February 26th
Recently, the House Committee on Education and Labor voted H.R. 4247 out of committee with a vote of 35 to 10. Your hard work has certainly made a difference, but we need your continued efforts to advance this important legislation. Specifically, we need your assistance to get the bill moved to the floor for a full House vote and to obtain Co-sponsors for the Senate version, S. 2860.
February 23, 2010
New Scientist Interview
ASAN’s Scott Michael Robertson was quoted in a New Scientist article on the revision of the diagnostic criteria to provide for a single autism spectrum classification. He…
February 10, 2010
Baltimore Sun Article
ASAN’s Paula C. Durbin-Westby discussed the importance of self-advocacy to ensure those on the autism spectrum are treated properly. A public focus on the question of what…
February 3, 2010
URGENT ACTION ALERT: HR 4247 Going to Committee This Week
H.R. 4247, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act is going to be marked up by the House Education and Labor Committee this coming Thursday. In order to avoid amendments to the legislation that could potentially weaken the bill’s ability to protect students, it is important we send a clear message to Congress to pass H.R. 4247 and to keep it strong.
February 3, 2010
ACTION ALERT: Restraint & Seclusion Legislation National Call-In Day January 21st
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), in conjunction with the Alliance to Prevent Restraint, Aversive Interventions and Seclusion (APRAIS), is asking you to join us in a National Call-In Day on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 to tell your members of Congress to support the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (H.R. 4247/S.2860).
January 15, 2010
ACTION ALERT: Autistic Child Charged with Felony Assault after Resisting Restraint
Action Needed to Protect Child: An 11-year old Autistic boy in Arkansas named Zakhqurey Price is currently being charged with felony assault after fighting back when two staff members restrained him in response to behavioral challenges. The school has ignored repeated efforts from Zakh’s grandmother over the course of the last five months to obtain needed IEP supports to improve his educational options and manage his behavioral difficulties.
January 5, 2010
Thoughts from the Food Pantry
By mid-October, I found myself going to the local food pantry. The last time I’d been there was between the endless succession of jobs won and lost, when I couldn’t pinch another penny and the food money ran low. This time I was there because I wanted to volunteer. I’d always meant to do so, because I don’t like taking handouts; but the food pantry is open during the day and I usually had classes then, so I was limited to the church library and the cat shelter.
December 16, 2009
Parents in the Autism World
An essay by Elesia Ashkenazy. A parent’s main concern is going to be to help their child by utilizing whatever means are available. Good Parenting 101 = Help Your Child No Matter What. Parents will naturally lean toward autism-focused groups and/or organizations offering help and support. Inspecting the inner-workings of such groups and organizations may be the last thing on a parent’s mind when they are knee-deep in making sense of the new course or path their life has taken.
December 16, 2009
We have decided to homeschool
An essay by Emily Willingham. Since TH was in kindergarten, he’s had a nemesis. Ironically, it was the very first person he met at his school, as we had just moved into the district. Idiots that we were, we thought she seemed pretty nice and encouraged TH to engage with her.
December 10, 2009