Category: Advocacy
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What If We Presumed Need in Addition to Presuming Competence?
You may or may not have heard the edict “presume competence.” It is a crucial part of creating neuro-affirming spaces. I was first introduced to it through the world of supporting non-speaking or minimally-speaking Autistics in the film “This is Not About Me,” featuring Jordyn Zimmerman. In the movie, Jordyn shares her experiences as a…
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From Compliance to Compassion: My Journey Beyond Crisis Intervention
For more than a decade, I’ve worked with students whose behaviors often challenge the systems around them. I was good at it. So good that I was often chosen to train others in crisis intervention. I taught professionals how to use physical holds and seclusion techniques under the guise of keeping students “safe”. And I…
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Protect Minnesota’s Youngest Students from Seclusion in Schools
Minnesota made historic progress in 2023 by passing legislation that banned the use of seclusion for K-3 students. This legislation was a critical step in creating safer, more inclusive schools and ensuring that our youngest learners, especially students with disabilities, Black and brown students, and students with a trauma history, are treated with dignity and…
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What PBIS Got Wrong About My Echolalia
Internalized echolalia is one of those things people rarely talk about because they rarely know it exists. For me, it’s not some quirky feature of being autistic. It’s my brain’s operating system. It’s the language I speak in silence. While the world pushes me to say things out loud and to follow the scripts they…
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More Restraint and Seclusion Will Not Make Oregon Schools Safer
Some of you may already know my story. I was the lead instructor for my district’s off-site intensive behavior program. I worked relentlessly to prove that even the most impacted students could be safely supported without resorting to restraint or seclusion. However, my goal to eliminate these practices was met with significant resistance. The belief…
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Action Alert: Protect Illinois Students
In recent years, investigative reporting by the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica uncovered widespread abuse of physical restraint and seclusion (often referred to as “time out”) in Illinois schools. These practices disproportionately affect young children, students of color, and students with disabilities, including those with autism, intellectual disabilities, and emotional disabilities. In response to these findings,…
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Honoring Joshie: A Call for Change in Special Education
Today, I stand before you to share the story of a remarkable child, a boy whose light shone brightly in a world that too often failed to see how innocent and loving he was. His name was Joshua Andrew Sikes—Joshie—a boy who loved Halloween, pumpkins, and the simple joy of human connection. He was a…
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Have You Heard of the Tendril Theory?
Have you heard of the Tendril Theory? I came across it online a few years ago, and understanding it has helped me to support my neurodivergent sons. The graphic I have seen shows a Medusa-like cartoon character. The person is engrossed in an activity with multiple swirling lines connecting from their head to the activity.
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Life After a Behavior Modification Program
In my junior year of high school, I was woken up in the middle of the night at about four in the morning by two strangers who escorted me to the airport. From there, I was flown from Houston, Texas, to La Verkin, Utah, to a place called Cross Creek Programs, also known as Cross…
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Loudoun County Public Schools Bans the use of Seclusion
Great news! Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia recently voted to revise their policy related to the use of restraint and seclusion. On February 25th the board of education met to vote on on a policy update (meeting). The Loudoun County School Board voted to update its restraint and seclusion policy, and will no longer…