Being Bullied for Learning Differently

A parent posted this comment on our Facebook page, and it captured another reality and anguish of  learning disabilities:
"Today a speaker from the Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness went into my daughter's class to do a presentation on acceptance. She really enjoyed it and was excited to share all about it when she got home. Hopefully her classmates were receptive to the info and took it to heart, I'd love it if she weren't bullied for learning differently."

Children learn differently, and no parent wants their child being bullied or teased for doing so. 

Eliminating Bullying and Accepting Differences

Bullying in schools and cyberspace is suddenly in the public eye since the tragic suicides of several young people-- apparently as a result of teasing and harassment that escalated out of control. Students with disabilities are among the groups that experience the highest rates of verbal and physical violence; for children on the autism spectrum these experiences can be everyday occurrences.  Not only are these students at great physical risk, but the emotional damage can be life-long and devastating. What can be done?  Eliminating bullying starts with acceptance of differences, which is what we teach in our Student Disabilities Awareness Program.  We leave books such as A is for Autism, F is for Friend in elementary school classrooms. One of the Program's goals is creating a safe and healthy learning environment for all students.