Important petition! Please sign. Autism

[crazyme5kids]

Moderators: I apologize in advance if this is out of line and not allowed, please delete it if it is.

I was sent this link asking me to sign this petition. I feel it is a very important one, and I normally would never post a link for petitions, but this one is different. It involves a special needs child. Please read about this young man here:

http://blog.autismspeaks.org/2011/0...virginia-a-danger-signal-that-we-can’t-ignor/

Edited: the link did not work, but when you go to the above it brings you to the Autism Speaks page. Go to Government Relations and the article will come right up.

and here is the other link:

www.avoiceforneli.com

 

[Tinijocaro]

page not found comes up

 

[crazyme5kids]

page not found comes up

Thanks, I just made an edit about it. My lack of computer skills I guess.

 

[msmayor]

I don't understand the need for a petition simply to get the story out...the website alone is taking care of that.

 

[crazyme5kids]

While the story is being told, the petition is a way to show that people are paying attention to the story, and care about it, not just being read and forgotten. It is also a way to spread the story to those who might not have heard about this incident.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am having a bit of a difficult time with the story and the need for a petition.

She can't say his side. I am guessing she presumes he is innocent of whatever the charges may be.

I am also guessing his "age" is his biggest issue as he is no longer a minor and that is why she was kept away.

I guess I'm having an off day. Was he mistreated because of his disability? Is that her position?

 

[mdsoccermom]

I am not clear on what story needs to get out or what action needs to be taken with the petition.

According to the news story, he attacked the police officer after being askd for ID. He also sprayed the officer with pepper spray, and the officer is also needing surgery.

Now, if the officer already knew the kid was autistic and proceeded to spray him with pepper spray, that could be an issue. But according to the information presented (and I know it's only one side), that was not the case. When a police officer is attacked, he needs to make immediate decisions and doesn't have time or knowledge to evaluate whether or not the attacker has special needs.

So, I do not understand what is being asked for here.

 

[phorsenuf]

I am not clear on what story needs to get out or what action needs to be taken with the petition.

According to the news story, he attacked the police officer after being askd for ID. He also sprayed the officer with pepper spray, and the officer is also needing surgery.

Now, if the officer already knew the kid was autistic and proceeded to spray him with pepper spray, that could be an issue. But according to the information presented (and I know it's only one side), that was not the case. When a police officer is attacked, he needs to make immediate decisions and doesn't have time or knowledge to evaluate whether or not the attacker has special needs.

So, I do not understand what is being asked for here.

I agree. He attacked a police officer, plain and simple. At age 18 (even with autism) he should know that you don't attack a member of law enforcement. If he was disabled enough to not understand that then he shouldn't be out unaccompanied.
I'm sorry (and I'm sure I'll get flamed BIG time) but I'm sick and tired of everyone yelling disability, autism, bullying, whatever, as an excuse to get out of doing something they shouldn't be doing. There has to be personal accountability, disabled or not.

 

[topolino]

Looks to me like the police officer, who,

A) was doing his job

B)was the victim of a crime

is the one being blamed here. This doesn't add up with me. The race card and the handicap card have both been (very predictibly) played here, but in the end, from what these articles tell about the story, neither of the two excuse what happened.

 

[luvmy3]

I agree. He attacked a police officer, plain and simple. At age 18 (even with autism) he should know that you don't attack a member of law enforcement. If he was disabled enough to not understand that then he shouldn't be out unaccompanied.I'm sorry (and I'm sure I'll get flamed BIG time) but I'm sick and tired of everyone yelling disability, autism, bullying, whatever, as an excuse to get out of doing something they shouldn't be doing. There has to be personal accountability, disabled or not.

That was my first thought too. I hope he does get the help he needs, but I think the mom needs to face the reality that his behavior caused this.

 

[Cinderella94]

I'm sorry (and I'm sure I'll get flamed BIG time) but I'm sick and tired of everyone yelling disability, autism, bullying, whatever, as an excuse to get out of doing something they shouldn't be doing. There has to be personal accountability, disabled or not.

Then they can flame me too .

 

[Praying Colonel]

For legal reasons, I cannot disclose his side of the events that took place that day.

Well then, let it play out in the court system.

 

[goofy!]

As a parent of an adult child with special needs (Down syndrome), I also cannot sign the petition.

They are claiming incompetence due to Autism.

However, there are so many red flags in the article, it is suspect. I don't doubt that the child has Aspergers, however, other comments by the mother indicate the child is every bit capable of realizing right from wrong.

Twice he was evaluated as an At Risk Child, twice he was denied.

She pulled him out of one school because he was too high functioning and the others had more severe disabilities.

There is no mention of ever being on a IEP or 504 plan, just whining about limited resources. This doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have one, hr owever, you would think the mother would have thrown that out there since she was divulging everything else.

And if he is incapable of discerning right from wrong, why oh why do they not have legal guardianship of him? Everyone of my daughter's adult friends, even the very high functioning adults, have their parents as their legal guardians so that the parents can legally intervene if the child makes poor medical or any other kind of decision. If they had legal guardianship, they would have had much more clout at the police station.

And I too hate it when disabilities are thrown around as a reason to get out of stuff. It really sheds a bad light on those of us who have children that really do have a disability.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Interesting that the other web site you go to, shows pictures of him in several military fatigue uniforms. was he getting military training?

now is there a web site for the OTHER side of the story? maybe for those of us that support law enforcement can sign a petition to support the police officer that was injured in the line of duty for doing his job.

and just HOW are the police supposed to know that the apparent grown adult that is fighting them has some sort of problem? (other than they ARE fighting the police!)

 

[crashbb]

Looks to me like the police officer, who,

A) was doing his job

B)was the victim of a crime

is the one being blamed here. This doesn't add up with me. The race card and the handicap card have both been (very predictibly) played here, but in the end, from what these articles tell about the story, neither of the two excuse what happened.

Looks that way to me as well.

I wonder if I can find a petition to show my support for the officer.

 

[Carly_Roach]

I am not clear on what story needs to get out or what action needs to be taken with the petition.

According to the news story, he attacked the police officer after being askd for ID. He also sprayed the officer with pepper spray, and the officer is also needing surgery.

Now, if the officer already knew the kid was autistic and proceeded to spray him with pepper spray, that could be an issue. But according to the information presented (and I know it's only one side), that was not the case. When a police officer is attacked, he needs to make immediate decisions and doesn't have time or knowledge to evaluate whether or not the attacker has special needs.

So, I do not understand what is being asked for here.

Me, neither. If his autism is the kind where he'd become violent if confronted, then he shouldn't be out unaccompanied by either a parent or some kind of caregiver.

And I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but if he hasn't learned how to handle his violent outbursts by 18, then he's a danger to society and needs to be monitored or institutionalized.

I agree. He attacked a police officer, plain and simple. At age 18 (even with autism) he should know that you don't attack a member of law enforcement. If he was disabled enough to not understand that then he shouldn't be out unaccompanied.
I'm sorry (and I'm sure I'll get flamed BIG time) but I'm sick and tired of everyone yelling disability, autism, bullying, whatever, as an excuse to get out of doing something they shouldn't be doing. There has to be personal accountability, disabled or not.

I, myself, am an adult with autism and it's not only embarassing to hear of people using that as an excuse to beat someone else up, it makes me pretty angry as well. It's NOT understandable OR acceptable to physically injure other people. Ever.

I hear on these boards where TA's are hit, bitten, shoved, and injured because of children who get a pass because they're autistic, have asperger's syndrome or ADD or ADHD or whatever. It saddens and angers me that kids are being taught that it's OK to be violent or to dominate a classroom or any social situation with their actions if they get a doctor's pass saying they have a medical disability that allows them to do so.

It IS possible to control outbursts, tics and the like but it takes practice, discipline, constant vigilance and a willingness to want to be accepted into polite society.

Sorry, but IMO this young man behaved badly, autism or not. Maybe one of the things that will teach him how to control his behavior is having to suffer the consequences of his actions. Perhaps if he HAD suffered the consequences of his actions in the lower levels of school instead of being given a pass because he was autistic, he would have learned how to control himself by now and he wouldn't be a danger to society.

 

[goofy!]

I hear on these boards where TA's are hit, bitten, shoved, and injured because of children who get a pass because they're autistic, have asperger's syndrome or ADD or ADHD or whatever. It saddens and angers me that kids are being taught that it's OK to be violent or to dominate a classroom or any social situation with their actions if they get a doctor's pass saying they have a medical disability that allows them to do so.

It IS possible to control outbursts, tics and the like but it takes practice, discipline, constant vigilance and a willingness to want to be accepted into polite society.

Sorry, but IMO this young man behaved badly, autism or not. Maybe one of the things that will teach him how to control his behavior is having to suffer the consequences of his actions. Perhaps if he HAD suffered the consequences of his actions in the lower levels of school instead of being given a pass because he was autistic, he would have learned how to control himself by now and he wouldn't be a danger to society.

That is not true. There are varying degrees of every disability, including autism. I have worked in a classroom of the children profoundly affected by autism and they absolutely cannot control their behavior just with willpower. The kids I work with don't have the cognitive ability to recognize socially appropriate behavior, therefore cannot just decide to not do it. Lots and lots of intervention goes into trying to teach socially acceptable behavior with varying degrees of success.

I have been hit, bitten, kicked, spit upon, you name it. I can absolutely guarantee you that the children are not given a pass because they are autistic.

You do a huge disservice to kids and adults with profound autism by saying they can just learn to control it with discipline and that the only reason they are not highly functioning is a lack of discipline in earlier grades.

 

[Hoodie]

Well then, let it play out in the court system.

It already did. He was convicted of assault in March. Sentencing is tomorrow.

 

[luvmy3]

It already did. He was convicted of assault in March. Sentencing is tomorrow.

I didn't realize the mom's website was from almost a year ago.

 

[mdsoccermom]

It already did. He was convicted of assault in March. Sentencing is tomorrow.

Then I wonder what the purpose of the petition is? A petition is a call to action. Does the OP think the judge will show leniency if enough people sign?