I would imagine most parents of autistic children fear letting their child out of their sight. I know we do. In addition to the potential for Curtis to shut down when he is scared, we have seen how different people can react to his behavior and we feel better being there to head off anything unexpected. Some people take his behavior personally, as some people will do, and some people can get angry. But then you see something like this and realize just how crazy things could possibly get. It's a pretty disturbing video.
Curtis doesn't ride a bus to school and I know I would be worried about it if he did. It's the exact type of environment that he has trouble handling. It's loud and it's unpredictable and scary to an autistic child. The only thing that would get him through it is being helped by someone he trusts. And then you see a video of not only a bus driver but the child's ed tech beating on the kid with a fly swatter in addition to their arms and legs. Good lord. But hey, they did like a month or two in jail so....
I know, or hope, that this was an isolated incident that doesn't occur very often but it reminds me how lucky our family is. Not only is Curtis not beaten by those assigned to help him, but these people actually work to help get the best out of his abilities. They instruct him and help him just as his mom and dad do so that his development remains seamless when he is out of our sight. In their care he is safe to learn, have fun, grow, and develop and his parents don't have to worry about him regression, or worse yet, getting the crap kicked out of him. So here is to great aides. Or at the very least, aides who don't beat kids they are paid to protect, especially autistic kids who sometimes have little control over their actions.

Greg, Dad

"You can't dribble on mulch" was a declaration Curtis recently made while standing on a pile of mulch with his basketball. Maybe it's his phrasing but he often speaks in metaphors to me while simultaneously speaking literally. Dribbling on a pile of mulch is not unlike sitting Curtis or others with autism in a regular classroom and expecting them to follow the instruction of the teacher throughout a school day. It's just not going to work out. His brain is not built that way and he inevitably needs clarifications beyond the other students in the class. He is often lost on the first part of an instruction and gives up on hearing the rest, not that he would tell you this. Through one on one support in school and at home Curtis has been able to reduce anxiety and explore social situations. He is brave and strong and believes he can do anything you can. And he believes this because we tell him he can and he goes out and does it time and time again.

Greg, Dad