Child With Autism Voted Out Of Classroom

What is the world coming to?! I couldn't believe what I was reading when a fellow autism mom alerted me to this sad story. A particularly insensitive Florida teacher, Wendy Portillo, decided to resort to Survivor style voting tactics in her classroom. Apparently a 5 year old boy named Alex with high functioning autism was being a disturbance in her classroom so she instructed the students to humiliate him with insults and vote whether to keep him in the class. The children were each given a chance to say what they didn't like about their classmate. The class voted and all but 2 said he had to go. Alex has been victimized and traumatized by both his teacher and his peers. The PATHETIC EXCUSE for a teacher has been reassigned. Hopefully this is just a step the board is taking before they fire her cruel @$$.

To see video of the boy's mother click below.
http://www.cbs12.com/video/index.php?bcpid=1137883291&bclid=1143359274&bctid=1576242234


Article to be seen below.
http://www.cbs12.com/news/port_4707872___article.html/teacher_behavior.html

Autistic Teen Banned From Church

This story makes me sigh with exasperation. In this case a 13 year old boy with autism attends church services with his family. You would think that in this setting every accommodation should be made or at least attempted to let the youth and his family participate in the mass. Reports state that he was banned from attending the church after restraining was warranted. I just wonder if the congregation was frustrated by the disturbance and decided he just had to go. There is no mention of special accommodations being offered like a space or room available for disabled people or a volunteer to help assist the family during their time of worship. I don't know all the details but the end result points to a failure of a solution. As usual one of the bigger problems is public reaction to demonstrative individuals with autism or any person with a disorder that makes them stand out from the crowd. Instead of sympathy sometimes you get sneers.

See the link to the story below:
http://www.startribune.com/local/19085694.html?location_refer=Homepage

Autism Hunger Strike

Autism in the News

May 10, 2008

Stefan Marinoiu is a father of a 15 year old boy with autism. Along with many others parents, Stefan is frustrated with the Ontario Provincial Government's lack of commitment to families living and struggling with autism. To show his level of desperation and garner some much need attention Stefan has resorted to going a hunger strike at Queen's Park in Toronto. On day 6 of his autism protest Stefan has gained some media attention and support from visitors and on-line fans. This tenatious man's actions go to the core of just how desperate the situation really is for autism funding and awareness.

See Stefan's story covered by the Toronto Sun at the link below.

http://www.torontosun.ca/Video/?fr_story=21d53247c78b07225dafce4bb0d1748056b36f8b

Walk Now For Autism

Just thought to mention that Autism Speaks is running it's Walk Now For Autism on Sunday June 8th @ Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto.

See the link below for a list of all event locations and more information.

http://www.walknowforautism.org/site/c.ghKKIUPFIuE/b.3948809/

Jenny McCarthy On CBC Show The Hour

Jenny McCarthy's autism crusade is going strong and gaining momentum with her frequent tv appearances and the ever-present support of her partner Jim Carrey. She is going to be an interesting person to follow and probably one of the loudest celebrity to make some noise about autism awareness. See my You Tube Video Bar for proof! Recently I saw her on the CBC television show The Hour and thought it was one of her most candid interviews to date. Host George Stroumboulopolos must have put her so at ease that she felt comfortable enough to slap both his cheeks with her own enthusiasm! Jenny later says "it takes a bit of crazy to change the world". You go girl!

Click on my title to visit CBC'S "The Hour" or search on You Tube.