Washington Examiner: Boom in Autistic Students Prompts New Montgomery School Centers

Winston Churchill High School in Potomac is one of the Montgomery County schools that will house an autism resource center. (Examiner file photo)

 "Montgomery County Public Schools is planning to open autism centers at three high schools in the new school year, as the district grapples with a fivefold increase in the number of students diagnosed with autism over the last decade.

In the 2000-2001 school year, 266 students on the autism spectrum enrolled in MCPS. By 2010-2011, that number had jumped to 1,642, as autism became better diagnosed thanks to its federal classification as a disability and more awareness of the disorder's symptoms..."

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MSNBC's Joe Scarborough Manages to Offend Entire Autism World-- Demonstrates Stunning Ignorance

BREAKING NEWS FROM WWW.CHANGE.ORG WEBSITE -

http://www.change.org/petitions/joe-scarborough-msnbc-retract-your-statements-about-autism-and-the-colorado-shooting

"On Monday morning, July 23, Joe Scarborough of MSNBC asserted that James Holmes is probably on the autism spectrum, and that autism would explain why he allegedly committed mass murder. These statements are ignorant and potentially damaging to people who already struggle against stigma and prejudice. There is absolutely no link between autism and criminal behavior; in fact, people on the autism spectrum are far more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators..."


Read Scarborough's comment below:

"As soon as I hear about this shooting, I knew who it was. I knew it was a young, white male, probably from an affluent neighborhood, disconnected from society -- it happens time and time again. Most of it has to do with mental health; you have these people that are somewhere, I believe, on the autism scale...I don't know if that's the case here, but it happens more often than not. People that can walk around in society, they can function on college campuses -- they can even excel on college campuses -- but are socially disconnected."

The petition letter was composed by autism advocate Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg who is affiliated with Change.org, as well as publishing her writings on www.journeyswithautism.com, www.autismandempathy.com and www.sojournerartist.com .

For further information and commentary view AMR editor's 7.23.12 blog at www.livewith.autism.us