Expert: Catherine Ridenour - 9/5/2007

Question
Katherine,
my 8 y/o daughter (also named Katherine) was recently diagnosed with Aspergers.  Her first three years of school have been horrible as my husband and I feel that she has been victimized by her school's Zero Tolerance Policy on bullying.  Can you please explain what Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports is and how it works?  I've scoured the Dept. of Education website and there were references to it but I'm not familiar with it. She came home with a referral from her principle yesterday.  She has an incredible imagination and is very impulsive.  Last Friday she was invited by another little girl to help her "arrest"  another 3rd grader and put him in jail for "stealing their special magical rock". My husband is a police officer and I am nurse at a correctional facility so she likes to play police. She really got wrapped up in this game and was pulling on his shirt to "keep him in jail".  Yesterday she had to miss 2 recesses.  The referral stated that she was "bullying another third grader by chasing him, pulling him to the ground and hitting him".  My daughter admitted that she chased him and pulled his shirt but says he did not fall and she did not hit him.  My daughter is obsessively honest, so of course I believe her.  
Her principal says that no one saw it, but the little boy told his mother who emailed the principal.  I was livid!  The school is in the process of evaluating her for special education so she does not have an IEP yet.  I feel that she has yet again been victimized.  I am somewhat angry that she had to miss recesses as she also has ADHD and needs to release energy throughout the day, but I'm also angry that this referral will go into her permanent school record.  I am meeting with her principal tomorrow afternoon.  I have looked all over the internet trying to find resources regarding school discipline.  I want to help her principal understand that Katherine did not understand that the little boy wasn't having fun.  When we discussed if this little boy wanted to be chased she said she didn't know.  I asked her what his face looked like and she said he was not smiling.  I explained to her that she must ask other children if they want to play chase and she assured me that she will ask from now on.  She is not a violent child so I'm very angry that the principal wrote that she was bullying and that she displayed "Behavior detrimental to the safety of another child".   I feel that she should be given a little more room for error than the average child.  Do you have any advice?

Answer
Hi Dayla,

Print out a definition and description of Aspeger's syndrome to take with you to the principal. Also, have her diagnosis papers from the clinician who made the diagnosis. It is critical that the school understand that children with AS have no "theory of mind". That is, they have no idea that others have thoughts or feelings. This has to be directly taught and it takes a long time. They do not read social signals such as tone of voice, facial expression or body language. They are "socially deaf."

Push for the IEP as soon as possible. Social skills training will be one of the highest priorities in that plan.

You are correct that she needs more latitude but also more supervision. The IEP should include an aid to watch her during normal recess. She should not be deprived of it or segregated from the other children. Sometimes, an older child can be taught how to provide this support, but many are not willing to be tied to the job every day.

As to "positive behavioral intervention", as far as I can tell, it's a catch phrase attached to the newest behavior management protocol being marketed to schools. See this web site <http://www.pbis.org/main.htm>. Click on the "school-wide PBIS" link. The idea is to have a consistent school-wide policy. It is supposed to focus on teaching good behavior BEFORE the problems occur and promoting a culture of responsibility.

Obviously, getting your daughter an IEP to address her special needs due to the AS is completely aligned with this idea.

If you run into a truly resistant administrator who thinks that PBIS will instantly cure the difficulties your daughter faces, call your state department of education and get some help. If discrimination continues, get a lawyer.

Best wishes,
Catherine