As a child learning to pretend to sleep was an invaluable skill. I also learned to detest the smell of stale beer. How many Saturday and Sunday mornings did I wake up, alone, and have to smell the empties piled on the kitchen table, and what kind of person was going to come out of my Mother and Step Father's door? How quiet I needed to be, so quiet, if I woke them before they were ready I would get yelled at. The absolute randomness of their behavior destroyed me. I will heal with the help of good people that are patient enough to understand the hell of growing up in an emotionally and physically abusive home. #cptsdrecovery #cpstd

Hey dude, I haz neurology am shut-in. I used to run an arts business volunteer board of directors do civics ride orange bike all over GrittyCity be friend glamp hard rock shows raves accordion recital thrift make love art openings sticker/flyer bomb drive fly to ‘yerp. Not no more
Fire up some #hash tags #fnd #migraine #ptsd #cpstd #functionalNeurologicDisorder #MMJ #feminist #disability #ChronicPain #ChronicFatigue #Trauma #DisabilityRights #SensoryIssues #Privacy #Hemipeligic

"10 year Boy with Down Syndrome Assaulted by Bus Driver - Abuse of Students with Invisible Disabilities by Educators"

⚠️ CW - Stories on mistreatment and abuse of students with invisible disabilities in schools across the country. May be disturbing to some.

Yesterday, a bus driver for the Upper Darby school district in Pennsylvania, was charged with assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child.

Juliet Pratt was captured on surveillance cameras, duct taping the a student with Downs Syndrome around the ankles and chest to restrain him. The footage also show the child, who was already in a safety harness, caused no disturbance and remained in his seat. Regardless,  nothing warrants this kind of abusive behavior to people with invisible disabilities, especially by someone involved in child education. The March 8th incident was not the only. The bus driver admitted doing this appalling act to the child, at least one other time. Pratt cut the tape restraints with a seat belt cutter to free the boy upon arrival at the school.

There seems to be no mention of charges related to disability protectections in news reports. Has she done this to others? Would she have done this if the child did not have a disability? If Ms. Pratt singled the child out for this treatment because of any disability related reason, (ie - thinking she could get away with it because of the boy's DS), authorities may want to consider this an ableist hate crime.

Unfortunately, this problem is not uncommon. In some places, the techniques used are legal, bringing harm to many students with invisible disabilities. In Virginia, a 10 year old autistic boy, had the "bones in his hand and foot crushed" by an educator. The injuries were caused by a staff member who was isolating and confining the child, in what was called the "scream room".

Many reports of similar abuses have surfaced in Connecticut schools as well. In one case, a second grader with ADHD was held down, and locked in confinement after a manifestation of symptoms. Aside from the mental and emotional wounds caused, just as in many other cases, the child suffered physically injury. According to the story linked below, students have been restrained and isolated "thousands of times causing dozens of injuries" in Connecticut schools. This hardly sounds like accommodation and community intergration.

Then, there's Xavier Hernandez, who died as a result if being held down and restained by multiple staff members at "Boulevard Heights" school for "students with disabilities" in Texas.

These are the people entrusted with the job of shaping young minds? What lesson does this type of behavior teach other students about interacting with people with invisible disabilities; that they should be restrained, isolated and subjected to physical and mental damage? Considering these, and many other such acts, it seems many educators could use a lesson on understanding and accommodation of persons with invisible disabilities.

© OutOfExile_IDR - Invisible Disability Rights

PA Bus Driver:
https://www.phillyvoice.com/school-bus-driver-duct-tape-upper-darby-student-delaware-county/

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/bus-driver-accused-of-duct-taping-10-year-old-boy-on-bus/3575865/

Boy with autism in Virginia:
https://www.propublica.org/article/schools-restraints-seclusions

Girl with ADHD and other abuse in Connecticut:
https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/connecticut-schools-restraint-seclusion-injuries-17474991.php

Xavier Hernandez death from a disability standpoint:
https://neuroclastic.com/xavier-hernandez-fort-worth-autism-restraint-death/#content

Hernandez - Death by medication and restraint:
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crossroads-lab/article253421369.html

Image courtesy of: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/young-disabled-students-shackled-misbehaving-lawsuit-claims-n403421

#Education #ActuallyAutistic #ADHA #PTSD #CPSTD #ChildEducation #abuse #advocacy #disability #InvisibleDisability #TBI #InvisibleDisabilityRights #DownSyndrome #BrainInjury #EndAbleism #AbleistHateCrime #accommodation #CommunityIntergration #stigmatude #TearDownTheWall
#DOE #action #DepartmentOfEducation

@actuallyautistic @disabilityjustice @disability

Lover of animals and believes in equality for everyone. There is enough for everyone. She/her. Be your highest self and choose your words carefully, especially to children. All of our emotions are valid so learn and teach how to react to them appropriately. #CPSTD.