"Thank goodness she wasn't locked away or sent to "seperate but equal" schools like Lizzy proposes."

Wesley, please....I am not advocating 'locking' anyone, anywhere...
I've already told you about Ben's school, the difference it's made to that young man, and it's moved him from wanting to kill himself, to wanting to study photography and other things he now knows he is GOOD at. It has given him his life..and last night I talked to his mother, who told me over and over that they had made the right decision for him, but knew how incredibly lucky they were to have that opportunity in the first place, and how sad they were that so many children in this country may never have the same chance as Ben.

Also, Temple Grandin states in the main video there that she was raised in 'a different time' when behaviour was very strict. Her mother was very strict, as was her school, so no children would have dreamt of behaving as they do today. Schools would not have had the same outrageous and unhappy behaviour that goes on now, and that behaviour is now with us for many reasons, not just the lack of discipline.....You watched, I hope, that video from the National Autistic Society, where the modern and very real story of what now happens in schools is all too apparent.   

And did you know that Ben's school now even has special cushions for all the children to sit on which constantly 'move' them around the merest fraction. They've learnt that for many autistic/dyslexic children to sit still is almost impossible...and by schools *insisting* that they do this, their concentration goes into keeping their bodies still, rather than what they are trying to learn. The cushions move them almost without them realising, but what this does is take over from their brain having to focus on doing that, leaving them free to learn.

Many dyslexic/autistic children constantly move and sometimes it's because that is the ONLY way in which they can get their world to stay 'still' because for them it is constantly moving when they are made to sit rigidly still by folks who are completely and ridiculously rigid in their outlook. I have never understood this mania for children to sit still....

My nickname when I was a little girl was 'Wrigglebottom' because I was **never** still, and even to this day I move around a lot, so I understand entirely the benefits of a cushion that would stop my brain from having to redirect any thoughts anywhere else..(and yes, I can see you lot smiling and coming out with the naughty jokes) ;0)

I'd say that some of our best comedians are on The Circle, Donuel, purely because they've almost had to 'study' humour from the inside out, so they know what makes people laugh, they watch, they observe, they learn...Think of people like Tony Hancock, Rowan Atkinson, Stephen Fry, Billy Connolly...so many of them have a desperately sad side and yet they are also supremely intelligent and funny. The Circle is wide and includes many different creative people on it.

And think on this..

IF the autism gene had been removed from our genetics over a hundred years ago, then Temple Grandin would not have been born as she was. She would not be the person she is today. She would not have the ability to go out there and teach thousands, hundreds of thousands of people about not only their own autistic children, but about how we ALL think, how different we are. She is an amazing woman and it is her autism that has made her so amazing, along with her mother, her school, all who surrounded and helped her along the way.

I am not denying that autism often brings tragedy, I understand that..but it also brings incredible inspiration. And so many of the autistic people that I know, despite the confusion and anger that flares up sometimes, are also amazingly kind, talented, intelligent, honest and loving.