This week we in the United States celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King stands out in our history as a man who made a tremendous impact on our culture through his nonviolent means of campaigning for civil rights. We also witnessed the inauguration of the first female vice president, who is also the first African American and Asian American vice president of the United States.

One might wonder, if he had lived, what Dr. King would think of our nation’s current state regarding racial unrest and discrimination? On the one hand, we’ve made incredible progress as this week’s inauguration shows. However, we still face enormous challenges to being truly equal in this country. How has it taken us almost 60 years from MLK’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech to us finally asking ourselves the questions we must ask to create equality for all people in this country? We are still a ways away from finding answers. Many people in our country continue to experience disenfranchisement based on the color of their skin, their ethnicity, their gender, their sexuality, their religious beliefs, their intellectual abilities, and more.

In the world of autism, we also find inequities. According to Spectrum (2017), white children are more likely than black or Hispanic children to be diagnosed with autism. Males are three to four times more likely to be diagnosed than females (Howley, 2019). We aren’t sure why these differences in diagnoses exist. Is it because one population has more access to medical resources? Is it because the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders looks at the autism spectrum from a white male lens? We don’t know for sure. 

Whatever the reasons, we must acknowledge these differences, and ask why they exist. Only in asking these questions can we begin to answer them. And we can only begin to ask these questions if we recognize that we don’t know everything. We need to recognize that we have blinders on; that acknowledgment might be the first step we take, in humility. In Dr. King’s words, we at least need to crawl, because in some way or form, we must move forward.

We at Temple Grandin School are interested in diversity, equality, and inclusion. We celebrate neurodiversity, yet also recognize we have a lot to learn and to apply in being more accessible to diverse populations along racial, ethnic, and gender lines, among others. We welcome those who have something to teach us, and we welcome students from all walks of life to check out our school. We hope to offer our unique socio-academic experience to a broader range of people and perspectives. As we work toward this goal, we will continue to take steps to educate ourselves on our blind spots and work toward gaining and applying greater insight. Let’s crawl if we must, so that someday we may walk, run, then fly with all people being included, having access to the education they need so they can live the lives they want to live.

References:

Furfaro, H. (2017, November 20). Race, class contribute to disparities in autism diagnoses. Spectrum. (https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/race-class-contribute-disparities-autism-diagnoses/

Howley, E. K. (2019, May 13). Gender differences in autism. U.S. News & World Report. https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/gender-differences-in-autism