Tell Duval Public Schools not to build an Autism Center that would cause unnecessary segregation.

Segregation sucks

I have 3 autistic family members, One in a high school, who has developed great social skills, understanding and learning, a Second who is not fully Autistic but has Aspergers, with a great talent of social skills , music and a desire to learn, and a Third who is fully to the most extreme Autistic, hes a wild child, and needs specific care But he tries, We've gotten him to talk, look you in the eyes, understand his place, much of this has been through his immediate family, positive reenforcement as well as his Aspergers sibling that knows him and understands him more than all of us, she is the link that has helped our and his entire life, Through her understanding and communication to us, we been able to understand. I understand this is a public school topic but all children should have the chance to enjoy if they choose to have every option available and the teachers should be ready for these circumstances. we as students look up to you, your our peers. We might not show it, but we look up to you.

I have 3 autistic family members, One in a high school, who has developed great social skills, understanding and learning, a Second who is not fully Autistic but has Aspergers, with a great talent of social skills , music and a desire to learn, and a Third who is fully to the most extreme Autistic, hes a wild child, and needs specific care But he tries, We've gotten him to talk, look you in the eyes, understand his place, much of this has been through his immediate family, positive reenforcement as well as his Aspergers sibling that knows him and understands him more than all of us, she is the link that has helped our and his entire life, Through her understanding and communication to us, we been able to understand. I understand this is a public school topic but all children should have the chance to enjoy if they choose to have every option available and the teachers should be ready for these circumstances. we as students look up to you, your our peers. We might not show it, but we look up to you.

I am a mother of a disabled son and I work in the ESE Department for Duval County Public Schools. There are very few children with Autism that would benefit from an Autism Center setting. Most children with Autism benefit more from being with their non-disabled peers. Far too often we isolate students with certain disabilities because we think they will thrive and do better if they are surrounded with peers of their same disabilities. However, this is far from true. Actually children with disabilities thrive and reach for higher standards because they are with non-disabled peers. Not only do they benefit academically but socially as well. These are foundations that a student will use later on in life and helps them grow into better functioning adults. Please don't get me wrong there are appropriate times when Center settings are beneficial to disabled students. This is typically when a student can not function in a traditional general education classroom. The American With Disabilities Act supports the use of least restrictive environments for people with disabilities. We are supposed to make it easier for people with disabilities to fit in to society.

I will support this at any coat

Same Sh&% different day They called it Pinedale Elementary Before. Public School ESE S%$^S!!! I never see or hear Public school people saying ABA, uh because they have no training.... uh because it is expensive if done correctly. Shame on you Vitti. Are you going to spend proportionately as much on this "Autism" school as you did for your own kid's Dyslexia school???? OMG Oak Hill is where I went to elementary school and it was falling apart then. (that was 50 years ago). What a joke.

I vote no

Jacksonville needs to stop isolating students and make the teachers work with all kinds of students

10 years ago Featured

As a grandparent of a child on the autism spectrum, I do not support segregating autistic children in our public schools.

First kids were separate, then u have inclusion, now you want to separate again? Don't agree...if you have an ESE Program who effectively does what they are supposed to, and keep Autistic & other students with Learning Challenges, there would be no problem

isolation is not part of improving social delays in autistic spectrum disorders.

Children with autism need to be included with their peers-- Not singled out and made to feel different or "less than."

Turning a failing school into an ESE only school is a backhanded way of fixing a problem. My daughter has autism and is very low functioning. She does well in an environment designed to focus on her challenges. The problem is this school wouldn't just be for kids like her but also for high functing ASD kids that NEED inclusion as part of their day to day and they wouldn't get it. This is a cloaked attempt to keep from losing funds if this failing school receives another F rating...not Dr. Vitti doing a solid for ASD kids like he makes it out to be.

Stop thinking about yourselves and start thinking about the kids. This will do more damage to kids who already have a rough road to travel.

Segregation of autistic children is NOT the way to go.

Not LRE

Please read and share. Inclusion is so important. We are a diverse nation.

From Debbie Reed professor in education at UNF "Let me preface this by saying that I am 100% in favor of students with autism remaining in their neighborhood school. There is so much research out there that supports the benefits of doing so. As many have articulated here and on other sites, the problem lies in the lack of resources, supports and services provided to students at their existing school. The law clearly states that students with disabilities must be provided with the appropriate supports and services that will help them learn in the least restrictive environment. This is the problem that we should be addressing, rather then corralling everyone into one school where the students would then have limited to no opportunity to learn and/or socialize alongside peers without disabilities. IF the IEP team determines that a more restrictive environment is best for the child, then that may be accomplished in a self-contained classroom at the neighborhood school. The children would still have opportunities to learn how to develop relationships with others in art, music, PE, playground, electives and after school programs, etc. One of the goals in education is to continually look at opportunities for growth in the best optimal environment. Remaining in the neighborhood school would also give students with autism who are already in a more restrictive placement opportunities for trials in an inclusive classroom when and if that time came. If there are no inclusion classrooms in a Center school (like the one being proposed) then they will likely remain in that setting throughout the remainder of their school years. How unfortunate! And another argument that I rarely hear, yet one of great importance, is the benefit of inclusion for kids without disabilities. Children without disabilities also need to learn and socialize with people that are different from them. We live in a diverse world. Future business leaders, politicians, landlords, etc. would benefit from growing

I use McKay to put my son in clay county. We love it.

Is your child Autistic? If not your child will be moved out of this school anyways. They aren't allowing General education children here if this goes through.