Reply to The McLean School: ASD kids need not apply

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Reply to "The McLean School: ASD kids need not apply"

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[quote=Anonymous]DC has an ADHD/mild ASD diagnosis. We went to the McLean School Open House this morning. We thought it might be a good fit for ninth grade because it advertises itself as serving ADHD kids with the types of accommodations DC receives in middle school.

Here's how McLean markets itself (from its website):

"Each application is assessed on an individual basis to ensure that McLean is able to meet the needs of our students. While McLean provides embedded academic support in the classroom, we are most successful with bright students whose primary challenge is not behavioral, social, or emotional."

DC's primary challenges are executive-functioning related. DC has a very slow processing speed. With accommodations, DC is getting straight As and is taking Algebra in eighth grade.

We thought, cool. This could work.

Nope.

During her presentation, the co-head of school said: "Here's who we do well serving: Kids with ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or executive functioning deficits. Here's who we do not service well: Kids on the autism spectrum." Categorically.

As anyone with a special needs kid knows, lots of ADHD kids have pretty serious behavioral/social/emotional issues, and a lot of ASD kids don't. Indeed, as they say, "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism."

My daughter was sitting next to me in a room of parents and prospective students when the head of school made this statement. She was mortified. Why would you make that statement to a group of middle-school and high-school kids who might have an ASD diagnosis?

If McLean doesn't want kids with ASD, then it should say so on its website. The primary challenge for many ADHD/ASD kids is not "behavioral, social, or emotional." They might be socially awkward, but they have friends, play sports, and function well in a mainstream environment." Or, if the school is willing to take ASD kids who do not have "behavioral/social/emotional issues," then do not state that as a category, you do not serve ASD kids well.

It really sucked for my kid to go to an open house, only to hear, "You're not welcome here." We walked out.

McLean in its presentation stated that is not a "therapeutic school," even though it provides all the supports that kids get in their public school 504 plans and IEPs. My take is that McLean is concerned that if it takes ASD kids (whether they'll do well there or not), it will be viewed as a "therapeutic school." ADHD is fine, but ASD has a stigma attached.

In any event, if you have an ASD kid, don't go to the open house. Don't apply. The school seems...mean.[/quote]

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