Autism And Education

Gifted, advanced whatever you want to call them, children do need a better quality education, no doubt about it. But watch this try bringing it up in a group and people will throw the 'elitist' word at you. When my oldest daughter was in middle school the school 'tracked' the children according to ability. Classes were coded AAA for 3 yrs above grade lvl AA for 2, A for one B was for students working at grade level, C a grade below, etc.
What was nice was a student might be AAA for history but a C for math and an A for science. The system worked rather well I thought and my daughter was thrilled. She finally felt like she belonged and she was in classes with other students who could challenge her and compete.
But there were parents who believed the system to be elitist and soon the school stopped the program. Parents of average, just above and below felt that it catagorized their children unfairly and stigmatized them, damaged their self esteem, etc. Was really unfortunate.
And for you parents of advanced children you know how difficult it is talking about this subject with others, especially parents they think you're bragging, showing off, etc. For some reason we're not 'allowed' to be proud of our children. When it comes to academics people are really sensitive, we can brag about our childs athletic prowess but not their intelligence, it really is a shame. So it's not just the school system but society.
There was once school not to long ago that displyaed the academic awards of students around the school, right along with the football, baseball, etc accolades. Parents complained about the academics being displayed, said it made their children feel stupid, dumb, lowered their self-esteem, etc. So the school removed them.
Think about it we rarely allow children to compete anymore, spelling bees and any kind of 'bees' have all but disappeared, in sports especially in grade-middle school everyone is a winner. These things do not prepare children for real life, it's a false world.

"I am the mother of three GATE kids. I do resent the fact that my kids get nothing from school and other kids whose best potential is to be abagger at a grocery store get every kind of support possible."

I totally understand your frustration, read my previous post. I felt the same way also all this money going to special education classes with so little for the more advanced. But if we take away from the disabled whose potential may be to only be a bagger at the grocery store, imagine what his/her life would be like without the extra help. They would end up being (and I hate saying it this way) a bigger burden on society when they reached adulthood. This way they can accomplish something and be productive members of society without the burden.

When I was a Titile1 Reading Specialist 30 years ago,I said money would be better spent on those who would make a contribution to society. I don't expect there is any 40 year old former student of mine who has been successful. We endlessly continue with the same useless principles in education and expect a different outcome.
Dorothy Reinke Davis CA

When I was a Titile1 Reading Specialist 30 years ago,I said money would be better spent on those who would make a contribution to society. I don't expect there is any 40 year old former student of mine who has been successful. We endlessly continue with the same useless principles in education and expect a different outcome.
Dorothy Reinke Davis CA

I am the mother of three GATE kids. I do resent the fact that my kids get nothing from school and other kids whose best potential is to be abagger at a grocery store get every kind of support possible.

My kids are used to pull up the bottom of the school. What little money they have for GATE is distributed in such a way that the GATE kids get little to none of it and it is used to broaden the options for all kids. After many years of trying to improve the school system for all bright kids, I have given up. But we parents of GATE kids do have some leverage. With NCLB, schools are utterly desperate for our children's test scores. In our school district, every single GATE girl in one grade left the school district for another district where there were better GATE services. You should have seen the administration when they figured out that all those girls were leaving, taking their test scores and their eager, well behaved selves too, leaving behind the plodders and badly behaved boys. If your school district is not focusing on GATE classes and GATE kids, post a note on the internet, organized your parents, arrange carpools and move your kids to a better school or district and eviscerate your home school???s or district???s test scores. I guarantee you will get the attention of the school officials and they and your old school will get the reputation it deserves, that of an official failing school.

I am the mother of three GATE kids. I do resent the fact that my kids get nothing from school and other kids whose best potential is to be abagger at a grocery store get every kind of support possible.

My kids are used to pull up the bottom of the school. What little money they have for GATE is distributed in such a way that the GATE kids get little to none of it and it is used to broaden the options for all kids. After many years of trying to improve the school system for all bright kids, I have given up. But we parents of GATE kids do have some leverage. With NCLB, schools are utterly desperate for our children's test scores. In our school district, every single GATE girl in one grade left the school district for another district where there were better GATE services. You should have seen the administration when they figured out that all those girls were leaving, taking their test scores and their eager, well behaved selves too, leaving behind the plodders and badly behaved boys.

If your school district is not focusing on GATE classes and GATE kids, post a note on the internet, organized your parents, arrange carpools and move your kids to a better school or district and eviscerate your home school???s or district???s test scores. I guarantee you will get the attention of the school officials and they and your old school will get the reputation it deserves, that of an official failing school.

Stephanie, I applaud your article! As a mom of kids @ both ends of the "Special Education" spectrum, you are in a unique positiion to see the discrepancy in the time, money and staff utilized for these programs. I have a daughter who was in the same type of "gifted" program that you describe for your daughter. I worked as an aide to an autistic student. While I understand and suppoort the need for both programs, I only wish they could be more equitable. Thanks for taking "Your Turn"! Best of luck!

Special ed funds do not come from the NCLB law. There is no comparison to the services a child get's with in special ed to those typical kids or gifted (which depending on who you are depends on the definition). This mom is suggesting to short-change her son: she's suggesting to short-change NCLB which is almost would be funny if it was so offensive since her child is soooo ahead. NCLB was created due to typical kids, let's make no mistake here, TYPICAL KIDS falling well "below" minimum standards at graduation, and holding teachers and schools accountable. Special ed kids only fall into NCLB by default that it includes all kids. This article suggest those funds be used more wisely, more for the gifted child who has more of a chance to contribute some thing more worth while to society than to ensure all children are getting the education they need. Wise investment? I'm not sure who would read this article and not be offended. It pains me to read it, since she has an autistic child, obviously hopes don't go beyond bathing but I for one have higher hopes for my kid. I hate to break it to this mom, all kids have potential, not just her gifted child and many people had very little schooling and invented grand things.

Try home schooling your child than suggest funding for NCLB be reorganized where that money goes. Try not to step on every students right to an education while yours seem really not to need a teacher at all.

I've read a lot of angry response to this lady's essay, most having to deal with the idea that she wants to advance her daughter at the expense of her son. I disagree with this interpretation of the essay. I don't believe she wants to short change her son at all, but I do believe that she is calling for a re-evaluation of asset allocation, in terms of money spent. Whether her daughter is gifted or not is not the issue here, what is the issue is why is so little money being spent on the best and the brightest by our society, whereas the funding for those in the bottom tier disproportionately higher?

Just a thought mom but if your daughter is so gifted and she is bord with her class have her bumped up to a grade that would be more challanging to her we did this with my step daughter She graduates high school this yr and will be going to school to be of ALL THINGS A SPECIAL ED TEACHER

Certainly there is a problem with our education if a Newsweek writer and a Newsweek proofreader cannot correctly spell the word "receives"! mziegler766 (mother of a gifted autistic daughter and a gifted nondisabled son)

Certainly there is something wrong with our basic education if a Newsweek writer and a proofreader cannot correctly spell the word "receives"! MZ (Mother of a gifted autistic daughter and a gifted nondisabled son)

Thanks for a thoughtful essay.

Having grown up as a gifted child, though, I have to note that your daughter is not overperforming. She's performing the only way she can--as herself. It isn't her fault that most kids perform far behind her, but schools act like it is. (I don't know about your schools, but mine sure did. I was constantly pressured to underperform so that teachers and other kids wouldn't be too challenged.)

In no way do I find a conflict between the disabled and the gifted when it comes to allocating services; I think it's shameful that our society and school system treat the situation that way. We need to do our best to allocate resources for all children to be able to perform at their own best and healthiest. Gifted children are just as different from the norm as disabled ones are--yes, they have special needs, too--and those aren't even mutually exclusive categories; there are many very gifted autistic people, as I'm sure the author knows, but school systems can be completely befuddled as to how to deal with them.

We may even be able to do better for gifted kids while SAVING money--many could probably benefit from an educational plan that allows more independence and unstructured time for research, discussion, and pursuing their own pet projects. Appropriate attention for gifted kids doesn't necessarily require lots of expensive equipment or extra personnel--it requires a willingness of teachers and administrators to adapt, challenge, and find ways for precocious kids to go at their own pace.

If the government really cared about kids' education, it would take money away from standardized testing programs and put it towards opportunities for all kids with unique learning needs or desires. It's fair to question our priorities when funding is so lopsided, but pitting the needs of different groups of special-needs kids against each other is the wrong avenue, and doesn't serve either the gifted or disabled well. Let's pressure schools and government to treat all kids' unique needs with respect and help them find the appropriate resources. The current situation is created by schools treating kids like test-taking automatons. Money is spent the way it is to get disabled kids to "perform" at a minimum standard--since gifted kids already out-perform that standard, they're not seen as a worthwhile investment, nevermind what their needs as actual PEOPLE are.

I sat reading this article this morning simply aghast. It continues to astound me the parents of children believed to be gifted and talented (when most don't truly fit the criteria but instead are simply highly motivated) think that they should be able to obtain resources for those children by taking them away from disabled children, the most vulnerable population of all. Why must it be a CHOICE? Also, Lindsely is woefully misinformed about the potential held by those with autism; she might want to meet my 8 year old autistic son who needs 1:1 help in school and yet has an IQ over 160 and is beating out every second grade typical child in his very competitive and highly rated school district. And yes, he meets the criteria for gifted and talented, after having successfully completed years of expensive ABA therapy. Ms. Lindsely might want to bone up on the history of the Holocaust. Adolph Hitler started his extermination campaign not with Jews, but with the disabled, as they were perceived as having less value in society than others. She is on a slippery slope.

Jenna Layne Smith

I sat reading this article this morning simply aghast. It continues to astound me the parents of children believed to be gifted and talented (when most don't truly fit the criteria but instead are simply highly motivated) think that they should be able to obtain resources for those children by taking them away from disabled children, the most vulnerable population of all. Why must it be a CHOICE? Also, Lindsely is woefully misinformed about the potential held by those with autism; she might want to meet my 8 year old autistic son who needs 1:1 help in school and yet has an IQ over 160 and is beating out every second grade typical child in his very competitive and highly rated school district. And yes, he meets the criteria for gifted and talented, after having successfully completed years of expensive ABA therapy. Ms. Lindsely might want to bone up on the history of the Holocaust. Adolph Hitler started his extermination campaign not with Jews, but with the disabled, as they were perceived as having less value in society than others. She is on a slippery slope.

Jenna Layne Smith

Most people would agree that gifted is the 98% or above. Her daughter wouldn't qualify for gifted in most school districts.

Shame on Newsweek for even posing this question in print Whatever a child's needs are in the school system, there should be an attempt to meet them given the resources available. There is no distinction between this owman's two children. They are equally valuable members of society and must be treated as such.

You have got to be kidding me. You idea of selling copies is to stir up the rabble with a headline offering a Sophie's Choice between which child to save? I thought the eugenics movement in America was over. And now Newsweek stoops to baiting parents about which child to focus on?

I have to tell you--the headline and the article make me sick to my stomach.

Ms. Lindsley has an authentic dilemma: how to better the education her daughter receives. But the answer to her problem is not to "refocus" any resources away a child who clearly needs them.

Perhaps you've heard the rumor of the impending demise of the corporate-controlled mainstream print media? Looks like you have yourself to blame.

David Taylor
Georgia