I have a new writing regime, because I’m trying to pump out a book about autism by the end of June. I have a strict 2,000-word per day quota. It’s going great so far — easiest thing that I’ve ever written. But words are words, and I can’t spread myself too thin.
On Monday, I’ll write an off-topic, random essay at the Apt. 11D newsletter. On Wednesdays, I will send out a newsletter with links/shiny objects/family pictures/food/whatevs, which will be cross posted at Apt. 11D and my autism newsletter, A Great Leap. On Fridays, I’ll post drafts of the book at A Great Leap.
I’m going on a social media diet until I finish a rough draft. I’m around on X, but not too much. If you’re a real life friend, please be patient with slow email and all that.
Sound groovy?
Disability Housing
A couple of years ago, when googling “schools for autistic kids,” I stumbled across Shrub Oak International school. It looked very expensive, like the type of places that Saudi princes dump their autistic kids, so I didn’t investigate too much.
Jennifer Shah Richards and Jodi B. Cohen investigated this school in a piece for ProPublica, “This School for Autistic Youth Can Cost $573,200 a Year. It Operates With Little Oversight, and Students Have Suffered”
I wish the article had addressed the bigger issue. Shrub Oak exists, because they are few places that will care for young people with severe autism, and parents are desperate. It also brings in rich people’s kids from Dubai and Hong Kong where there are even fewer options. We clearly need to build better programs.
I also have to wonder if Shrub Oak is all that different from the average day program for autistic adults that IS approved by the state. A lot of those places are not great either.
I’ve written two pieces here about the problems with disability housing.
Read more at Apt. 11D, the Newsletter
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