Reply #56: You don't know what it's like

[Johnny B. Goode]

My autistic little sister has gone through so much trouble trying to adjust to public school with regular kids.

Now that she's 13, she's built long-lasting relationships with friends and loves going to school every day to see them.

She is fully included with the other kids other than having an old, unused room that she can go to if she wants to study alone.

She is well-behaved in class and doesn't disrupt or slow down lessons.

Our school district has repeatedly suggested sending her to a separate school for disabled children. I looked into this school and it was a vast majority of males and all were seriously disabled.

A regular school environment is perfectly suited to her, because she can observe the normal children and pick up good behaviors, in a separate school, she doesn't have this opportunity.

Mainstreaming is the best thing that ever happened to her.

So think about what families of disabled children go through before you open your mouth and say something like that.

I'm sorry if my little sister's wish to be with her friends and learn upsets you.