The topic of alternatives to higher education is very personal to me. My youngest son has learning challenges related to his autistic spectrum disorder. While he does great in math and concrete subjects, he struggles with abstract language. Last week, I told him that “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” And then I asked him what that meant. He said that it meant that lions and sheep were going to invade our planet.

We never sent Ian to CCD, because our church doesn’t have a special education religious program. And religion is such an abstract topic that we never really talked about it with him, even though he goes to church every Sunday. So, Ian has had a lot of questions lately. Examples, “Is Jesus is a zombie?” That rising from the dead thing is a little creepy for him. “Why does Jesus hate meat?” Lots of confusion about meat-less Fridays during Lent. And so on. Abstract concepts and language are difficult for my sweet son.

He’s only 11. He’ll continue to make progress in language comprehension, but at some point, he will hit a wall. His brain wiring is different from other kids. Now, he has a lot of potential. Once we work out other related issues, he is very capable of holding down a job in computer programming or electronics or a whole range of honorable professions. But should he really go to a college and write essays about “The Old Man and the Sea”? No.

I’ve been touring public and private special ed schools looking for a good placement for him next year (and perhaps through high school). As part of promotional literature, college attendance rates are often cited. One special ed school boasted that 90 percent of its graduates attend college. How are all those special ed kids attending college? Because many colleges have set up special ed programs for parents who are willing to pay big bucks to give their kids the college experience.

College isn’t for everyone. Now, I would like to see more low-income and non-traditional students in higher ed. But what about kids with very clear weaknesses (and strengths)? Should we shove them through the higher ed process, too? I don’t think so.