Monday, June 4, 2012

Would it be OK to do that if the kids weren't Autistic?

There's been a case being heard in the US involving a couple who used a cage door across the bedroom of 2 Autistic boys as a method of controlling them. The boys were aged 5 and 7. Their older brother said he had to feed them breakfast through a slit in the wires, and that they didn't come out much. A jury has just acquitted the couple of any wrong doing.

Here's my question to those jury members- if your non-Autistic child was behaving in a challenging way, would it be OK to cage them up? There would be an outcry, right?

I don't see the difference. A child is a child. Cages are for animals.

I feel really, really angry about this.

It brings up another question for me too, given the focus of my attention the last week or so has been on the reduction of funding to support children with extra support needs in public schools.

Would it be OK if the Government just took away the funding that allows for schools to teach non-disabled kids maths? There would be an outcry, right?

Yet when they take away the funding to provide for the needs of my Autistic children, there are a few stories in the newspaper and that's it. The issue is gone from public attention. No one cares.

Saying I feel really, really angry about this doesn't even touch the surface.

2 comments:

  1. That is a TERRIBLE TRAGITY!!! I can not believe they were equitted! Even animals dont belong in a cage. I have a dog and she has never been in a cage and i could not even THINK of putting my austic son in a cage. Yes it can be challenging at times however putting them in a cage is NOT THE ANSWER!!! The government are ridiculas, i can not believe they are taking ANY funding away from schools.... how can they possbily justify that! What a joke! Keep up your good work in keeping all us other families up to date :)

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  2. Michelle, this horrific thing happened very near us so we have been following the story on our local news and newspaper. I was SHOCKED that the jury found this couple innocent. I watched bits of the trial and the parents were horribly nonchalant about the whole thing. I'd like to give those jurors a piece of my mind. Thankfully those two precious boys are not being returned to those people...and hopefully they are in a safe home that understands these precious children.

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