Dec 1, 2018, Southern Minnesota: Cedar Falls, IA-Lawsuit claims Cedar Falls Schools, AEA didn’t provide student ‘appropriate’ education http://www.southernminn.com/around_the_web/news/article_82639a2e-361c-52b6-b743-02ed71c10708.html Central Rivers Area Education Agency and Cedar Falls Community Schools are facing a lawsuit claiming they didn’t provide a “free appropriate public education” to a 16-year-old former student. Christy and Lance Banwart of Cedar Falls are seeking damages of at least $414,300 for their son’s out-of-state residential school placements and related travel expenses plus attorney’s fees for past mediation and due process proceedings. … The couple’s son, identified as C.B. in court filings, has been diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, anxiety, cognitive delays, and autism. The Banwarts moved him to a Utah residential school in April 2016 over concerns that his “academic and functional progress had essentially stalled,” according to the lawsuit. They claim a residential school placement is necessary to complete his education. … According to the lawsuit, he has a history of struggling with “emotional regulation” and difficulty handling his frustrations “in an age appropriate manner.” Behaviors of concern at school included walking out of class or school without permission and becoming physically aggressive with teachers and staff by attempting to bite or scratch them. …
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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