The Proposed Autism ID Card and It's Educational Implications

Educators and schools must be careful when it comes to disclosure. Do we force the "outing" of neurodiverse students because of well-meaning ignorance? I'm not just talking about an accidental skirting of FERPA law here. I'm talking about a constant push for students to self-disclose even when they are not prepared to do this correctly or deal with the consequences afterwards. 

And the truth is - neither are we.

In the recent blog post,  Autism and Disclosure: Is Virginia's Autism'ID Card Ethical?,  William Stillman explains that there is considerable concern regarding a proposed state ID card that would help police identify Autistic drivers they may pull over. While I can see the benefits of an ID card for those who are not educated on behaviors attributed to Autistic people, I see this - quite obviously - as a slippery slope to forced identification and discrimination. 

Remember that what makes an officer's (or teacher's) job easier is not always the ethical thing to do as it pertains to a person's rights. We must always be mindful of an individual's civil rights. And their feelings. 

As college educators, we deal with young adults who are just finding their way in the world. Our DS offices help students learn to self advocate, but they should not push or force - and neither should we. 

In his post, Stillman encourages others to keep a few things in mind when dealing with neurodiverse people: 

The next time you feel entitled or obligated to disclose information about someone with a "different way of being in the world," whether that person is in your presence or not, please ask yourself:

1. Do I have prior permission from the individual to do so?
2. Is what I'm about to share gentle, respectful, private or even necessary?
3. Would I be willing to say the exact same thing about myself in exactly the same forum--or have others say it about me without my prior consent and without a way to defend myself?
4. Is there a more discreet manner in which to share the information, such as texting or emailing sensitive information to vocational, educational, medical or school personnel?

This is good advice - for college faculty and staff.