Jon Mitchell, an autistic, says no to neurodiversity, ABA, and special education.

Jon Mitchell is a 53 year old male with a high-functioning type of Autism. He was born in Los Angeles. He has two websites, autism’s gadfly and a more personal website. He has quite a controversial view on the modern movements in autism treatment and education. Indeed, his blog’s tagline is “We don’t need no stinkin’ diversity.” Taken straight from his website:

“I am pro-cure, anti-neurodiversity, anti-special ed, anti-ABA. I have something to p**s off everybody!”

Based on his article, “Neurodiversity: just say no,” this author interviewed him to get clarification on a few points after Mr. Mitchell submitted his website via email. Question: What kind of Autism do you have?

Answer: I have high functioning autism with a speech delay, not Asperger's.  I had loss of speech at about two and a half according to my parents and the person who was my therapist at the time (she was a psychoanalyst during the Bettleheim era which you have probably heard of). I think I recovered my speech at about age 4.  I also have a bad perceptual motor problem which makes handwriting and other fine motor tasks difficult and I can't put puzzles together.  Other than that I am not sure what you mean by which kind.  Not sure what other kinds there are. ..“

{Note to readers: Bettleheim era refers to the time when autism was thought to be a psychological issue and caused by mothers.] Question: What is ABA? I know it stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis and is used by teachers in the classroom for autistic children, but what IS it? What is it supposed to do for these kids versus regular education?

Answer:  ABA is applied behavioral analysis.  It is not really a treatment, but a science to understand behavior and learning in organisms (not just humans but rats, others, etc.).  The science is applied as operant conditioning which is a treatment for autism in which rewards (and sometimes punishments) are contingent on correct responses or on not doing a response.  I used to know a bit more about it when I was in college but that was a long time ago.  I do not believe that the principles of ABA can be applied to persons with autism as is claimed by some.  The Lovaas (1987) claims a nearly coin-flip probability of complete normalcy after this treatment if applied correctly.  However, their research was dependent on the use of physically hitting the kids and other so called "aversives" which are now outlawed where in California where I live, so this treatment is falsely advertised to people.  I don't know what the laws are in Oklahoma where I think you are.

{Author’s Note: Based on Skinner’s experiment , Behavior Analysis was born. Aversive techniques are no longer considered appropriate in many educational systems, including Oklahoma’s school systems. In addition to physical punishment, these aversive techniques included loud noises and restraints. While restraints are still used in some institutions, it is not considered in use with ABA in a school setting on a normal basis.] Question: Why are you against [ABA] and special education? Is it that you are against SpEd for autistics or in general?

Answer: I am not so much against special education as I am the way it is practiced with pie-in-the-sky promises being made.  It is also unpleasant being in a segregated school.  Sometimes children are not treated well.  I know this from being an 8 year veteran of special education.  Though I was a special ed student in the 1960s before we had IDEA.  We now have a very comprehensive Federal mandate that requires school districts to provide a variety of options to disabled children.  These involve huge court fights and other unpleasant things for treatments of questionable value.

Question: Do you think that being pro-neurodiversity is exclusive to being pro-cure?

Answer: Though I don't agree with the overall concept of neurodiversity and I think their claim that it is a human rights movement is disingenous propaganda.  I am in favor of respect and good treatment of persons with disabilities and I agree those should not be mutually exclusive with wishing for a cure for autism.

It is this author’s belief that pro-neurodiversity has gotten a bad rap lately. It started out as a very political correct term to help remove stigma from all people who have neurological differences. It was about acceptance of difference and tolerance and has moved to the extreme of “we don’t need no stinkin’ cure.”  The pro side of neurodiversity points to a lot of famous “geniuses” who are suspected of having autism as a sign that everyone with autism is a genius and therefore should be left alone. It is Mr. Mitchell’s (and other’s) contention that that is not always the case. A child locked inside his own world, and unable to communicate, would probably like to be “cured” so he can share his “genius” with the rest of us. Based on his articles, comments on other’s articles, it had appeared to this author that Mr. Mitchell seemed to think being pro-neurodiversity meant that all in that category did not wish a cure. That is simply not true.  For this author, it is simply that while we wait for a cure, let’s all just be a little more accepting of differences. Mr. Mitchell may very well be one of the most controversial speakers in the autism community to date and while this author does not necessarily agree with some of the generalizations ( i.e. those with Asperger Syndrome and female have never attended a special ed class/school) that he makes in his posts, he does offer food for thought.