I am responding to the article written by Elliot Steeves.
As a retired Special Education teacher, I can recall several students who met the self-description of Elliot Steeves on his diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome, which was eventually absorbed into the Autism Spectrum Disorder. All of my students had an Individual Education Plan, with defined goals and progress reports.
One student who comes to mind was a math whiz, whose IEP defined specific behavior goals. When this student met his defined expectations, he came to my classroom, and played classical music on the piano, a common like the two of us shared.
He also gifted me with an origami lesson on making an eight pointed pinwheel, surrounding an octagon pie cut into eighths. I cannot replicate that today, but I am sure he could.
It would not surprise me to find that student from 12 years ago working in the IT field somewhere today.
Rebecca Stueland
Anoka