EMPOWERMENT OF AN AUTISTIC.

"He could face Hiroshima now, because a gaudy phoenix had risen." These were the words John Hersey, a Chinese-born American journalist sent to Hiroshima in August, 1946, used to describe Dr Terufumi Sasaki by the 1970s, when doing a follow-up in 1985. Dr Sasaki had, on August 6, 1945, been a 25 year old idealistic doctor, working at the Red Cross Hospital in Hiroshima. In 1951, Dr Sasaki moved from Hiroshima to Mukaihara, so that he could retire from being an hibakusha. By the 1970s, Hiroshima had completely changed, with the Peace Dome and Peace Park being reminders of August 6, 1945, but was otherwise a modern city.

The other day, I had to take Shigemi for a service, and the auto electrician at the mechanic's gave me a ride home. We had to go past my old high school, and I found myself, despite saying, "This place gave me grief when I was younger, but I survived it," thinking, "Where the hell am I?" as the school had changed somewhat. The buildings, which had been painted the colour of the innermost flesh of an avocado, were now painted an odd blue colour and I found myself viewing the school with more of a critical eye than before.

On the way to pick up Shigemi, my father took me the same way, and asked if I was okay. I said I was, and later on I came to realise something. Before I went to that high school, all I knew about Japan was that my watch was made there, along with some of the household cutlery and crockery, and that sushi in Japan was like hamburgers in the West. Had I not gone to that high school, I may not have learnt Japanese and I may not have had the same attachment to Shigemi that I have. After all, before that time the only cars I really knew were Holden or Ford.

I also saw the Performing Arts building with a new level of criticality as I remembered that when I was in Year Nine, a room there served as a Year Twelve Common Room, and thought, if I was going to have any input into the school in the future, or any school, for that matter, I would say that an autistic common room is a must. I would NEVER condone segregation of autistic students for learning, I say mainstream classrooms with accommodations are the best way. After all, segregation gives way to low expectations.

I remembered the Deputy Principal (later Acting) saying that everyone had the right to attend school without fear of physical, verbal or non-verbal abuse (I would also add sexual abuse) and I would say, well, being an autistic student, when the teacher leaves the room, or when recess or lunch begin, fear takes over, so there has to be a safe space for autistic students to eat their lunch. That is not to say that all autistic students should be forced to go there, but they should have the option to do so.

I would also make that sport should be optional for autistic students and attendance on sports day also made optional. Some autistic students may love sport, but for others, it can be hell, so why not allow those autistic students, who want to, to maybe help out in the library instead of playing sport? Or, if possible, for those who like individual sports, to do something with their integration assistants instead?

What I would like to see, having lived through it, is empowerment for future generations of autistic students. We don't want to be prevented, and we don't want to be cured, what we want is to be accepted and from acceptance empowerment!