Klarinet Archive - Posting 001202.txt from 2004/03

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: no child left behind
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2004 19:55:44 -0500

Lynn, I'm afraid you are making statements and assumptions about me =
without
knowing our history and what we have been through. You should have =
asked
what I have already done before accusing me of asking for "sympathy" and
doing nothing. This year, we started a group for parents of children =
with
special health care needs in our community which includes mental health,
autism, physical handicaps, etc... So, I DO run in these circles and =
in
this area, mental health is LAST on the priority list and the autistic =
have
access to far more resources than those with mental health issues. I =
have
had contact with many parents of autistic children and I know it is =
easier
to access services and supports for these children. Unlike autism, =
which as
yet has an unknown cause, mental health problems are often genetic and =
run
in families. Therefore, the parents of many of these kids do not have =
the
education and money that the parents of autistic children have so there =
are
truly fewer of us to fight for their cause. As you yourself mentioned, =
the
parents of many autistic children are rather well-off and "upscale." It
seems that money talks.
Please do not lecture me about what I ought to do when you have no =
idea
what I do and what I have done. I don't wish to write a book about it =
here
on the clarinet list but suffice it to say I am very active in working =
to
change the system and if you would truly like to know more please e-mail =
me
privately. You say you do not want me to "pity you" because your son is
autistic but that is exactly what you did in a previous e-mail in which =
you
talked about how much stigma there is for the autistic. It's a bit
contradictory to me. =20

Christy

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