Re: Religion was left-handedness

Jenny:
> And stop crying autistic. It doesn't make you special and it doesn't
> give you special privileges to hijack every conversation on the list.

I have spent the last 16 years trying to find ways to compensate his
behavior issues related to Asperger Syndrome. I've only been partly
successful, and he struggles in many areas. One of those is learning
how to participate in a conversation.

I once had a 9th grader who I was pretty sure was a denizen of Henry's
planet who was making the rest of the class crazy with her behavior.
As a sub, I am often unsure of what I can do, but it was clear that I
would have to say something. Finally, one of the girls snapped at her
after asking her nicely to stop making annoying sounds with her empty
water bottle. Her response was to say something about how she wished
all cheerleaders would die. I told her that was inappropriate and to
stop messing around and she started to cry. She told me that she was
having surgery the next day (she was in a wheelchair) and she was
autistic and people were mean. I said "I get it. But does that mean I
have to let you do whatever you want? Does that mean it's okay for you
to continue to annoy people when you're asked nicely to stop?" She
allowed that I had a point.

After keeping to herself, she shared a very moving story about her
brother in our discussion of Romeo and Juliet. (I was supposed to ask
if any of them had lost anyone or a pet and how they felt--not a
question I would use, personally, but it was in the plan. No one said
anything at first, so I told them about my mother and how I still miss
her and one of the worst things about her being dead is I keep reading
books I know she'd love and I can't tell her. The kids opened up after
that.)

An explanation is not an excuse. It might clarify a situation, but it
doesn't give carte blanche to any kind of behavior.

Sorry if this is muddy--really, my brain is not operating at optimal
levels these days.

Donna

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You can call yourself whatever you want; it's what you do that matters.