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Ralph JamesSavareseAuthor, 'Reasonable People: AMemoir of Autism and Adoption';Professor, Grinnell College

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Follow Autism , Autism College , Autism Education , Autism Neurotypical Culture , AutisticEducation , Children With Autism , Education Autism , Living With Autism , Living WithAutism College , Living With Autism Education , Neurotypical Culture , Parenting ,Parenting Autism , Parenting Children With Autism , Healthy Living News

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The Silver Trumpet of Freedom

"The silver trumpet of freedom had roused mysoul to eternal wakefulness."

So Frederick Douglass describes the impact oflearning to read in his autobiography. "It hadgiven me a view of my wretched condition,without the remedy," he writes. "It opened myeyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder uponwhich to get out. In moments of agony, I enviedmy fellow-slaves for their stupidity."

My son, DJ, recently used this passage as anepigraph for his college admission essay,comparing his predicament as a nonspeaking

person with autism who had been taught to read and to type on a computer to that of afamous, mid-19th century American slave. What use is knowledge, DJ asks, if it can't bedeveloped and mobilized to improve one's life?

Unlike Douglass, however, who was entirely self-taught, DJ has enjoyed a rigorouseducation. The moment we adopted him from foster care at the age of six, my wife and I

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included him in a regular classroom, despite the fact that he carried the label of "profoundmental retardation."

It was no small achievement getting him out of the special school in which he had learnednothing. Inclusion, of course, was equally challenging, but with the help of many dedicatedteachers, aides, counselors, principals and therapists, DJ slowly but surely proved hiscompetence. By the time he entered high school, he was earning all "A"s in an advancedcurriculum and using his text-to-voice synthesizer to participate vigorously in academic andextra-curricular life.

In addition to promoting the importance of self-advocacy and autistic civil rights atnational conferences, he has published in newspapers, academic journals, and books. Hehas also authored two plays: one called "Plotting Hope"; the other, "Finding Our Voices" --both of which have been performed in our community. He has even appeared on CNN's"Anderson Cooper 360" as part of a program about the burgeoning neurodiversitymovement. When Dr. Sanjay Gupta asked him whether autism should be treated, he typedimpishly, "Yes, treated with respect."

Pitting his fear of an oppressive neurotypical culture, which as a rule continues to excludepeople with autism and to prevent them from realizing their potential, against his belief inthe power of words to combat prejudice and to change society, he decided to apply to arange of highly selective liberal arts colleges. Although he had made a place for himself inour small, rural community, he had his doubts about the wider world.

The fact remains: very few people whom the medical community would describe as"severely autistic" matriculate to college. By some estimates, only 20 nonspeaking peoplewith autism have ever earned a college degree. Tito Mukhopadhyay, author of three booksand perhaps the world's most renowned nonspeaking autist, puts it this way: "My school isthe doubt in your eyes."

Some of the colleges to which DJ applied are close to home; others are a good 16 hoursaway. In the end, he set his sites on Oberlin College, a mere nine hours away. He likedOberlin so much that he chose to apply early decision. My wife's grandfather taught Frenchand Italian there years ago, and the town resembles the one in which we live.

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But most important to DJ was the institution's commitment to inclusion. The first college oruniversity to admit women and African Americans, Oberlin, DJ believed, might be ready toadmit him -- not only admit him but figure out a way for him to live in the dorms. Hewants to be the first nonspeaking autist to go away volitionally to school.

How will he do this? How will we do this? Heaven knows, but how have we done anything?How have we all gotten this far? Only by laboring imaginatively and by buildingcommunities of support will this young man, who has so much to offer, continue toflourish.

During his two campus visits to Oberlin, DJ says that he heard the "silver trumpet offreedom." Like Frederick Douglass and his other hero Harriet Tubman, he longs to work onbehalf of his people, breaking barriers in education, housing, and employment. Just lastweek he received his letter from Oberlin, and I'm happy to report that he got in. "Nowmaybe I can easy breathe," DJ remarked.

My wife and I feel less pride than gratitude for the many people who have helped our son,allowing a boy who was thrown away, then abused terribly in foster care, to write joyouslyof his "reassessed as smart self's walk down freedom's trail."

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Mark Hyman, MD: Autism Research:Breakthrough Discovery on the Causes ofAutismWhile we don't have all the answers, and

more research is needed to identify andvalidate the causes and treatment of autism,there are new signs of hope.

Karen Czapanskiy: "Chalimony": A NewSolution for Special Needs ChildrenToday, divorce law largely ignores theeconomic problems faced by the divorced

parent of a special needs child. We need anew post-divorce remedy, which I am calling"chalimony."

Dr. Peter Breggin: Making a Market inAntipsychotic Drugs: An Ironic TragedyDrug companies and organized medicine andpsychiatry must be stopped from benefiting

from the creation of lifelong patients sufferingfrom chronic medication-induced madness.

Jenny McCarthy: In the Vaccine-AutismDebate, What Can Parents Believe?I have never met stronger women than themoms of children with autism... This hoopla

made us a little stronger, and moredetermined to fight for the truth about what'shappening to our kids.

I.B. Program Accepted As Equal In U.S. LONDON — Rows of sweating, fidgety college-bound students sit waiting to collect theirdiplomas, half listening to the platitudes offered by principals and head teachers...

Autism Rate Triples Among California's K-12 Students This story comes courtesy of California Watch. By Joanna Lin Special education students withautism in California have more than tripled in number since 2002,...

Autism Risk: Having Babies Close In Age May Raise Risk CHICAGO — Close birth spacing may put a second-born child at higher risk for autism, suggestsa preliminary study based on more than a half-million...

Report Linking Vaccine To Autism Was Fraudulent, Says British Medical Journal LONDON -- The first study to link a childhood vaccine to autism was based on doctoredinformation about the children involved, according to a new...

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Autism-Symptoms

How far can autistic culture develop without excluding ...

20 people are discussing this article with 30 comments

Comments are closed on this entry.

Highlighted Most Recent Oldest Most Faved

raechel204 Fans

I've been over in the education section of HP listening to people chatter about howsome kids are just impossible to teach, cannot learn, because they are disadvantaged.How absolutely wonderful to read your column! You have restored my faith in peopleand human potential. I know the journey has been difficult, a daily struggle, but yourdetermination was built on a foundation of acceptance of your son for the person he is.I see that so infrequently ... well, thanks for letting me see it in you.

Hope your son enjoys Oberlin. It is, indeed, a magical place.26 FEB 2011 9:07 AM

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KLMwrites20 Fans

What a remarkable boy who will no doubt grow to be a remarkable man, thx much tothe strength of his community and family. Kudos to Oberlin, and may they continue to

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fuel his much deserved success.25 FEB 2011 12:24 PM

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Bob Dorf0 Fans

Ralph: What a magnificent story of strength and persistence by the entire family. I haveknown of you and DJ for quite some time, having lived with the old bruised muse for 33years. I am so proud of DJ not only for his great achievement but for his collegeselection criteria focused on greatness and, more important, exclusion. Each of you isa blessing and a guiding light to autistic kids and their parents everywhere. I only wishour little one were here to see the light.25 FEB 2011 7:43 AM

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neurodad1 Fan

Thanks for these kind words, Bob. I've never seen a kid work harder than DJ.There were a couple of kids in foster care with DJ who didn't make it out--I thinkof them often. Indeed, I think of kids like your son and my nephew who had theirlives cut short. I like to believe that DJ honors them with his courage andpersistence.25 FEB 2011 8:22 AM

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Gail Fisher-Taylor0 Fans

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Thanks to you, DJ, and Oberlin for leading the way. I've posted the link to yourwonderful article on the Kilometres for Communication Facebook page. As a mother ofa young man who also communicates in alternative ways, I'm looking forward to the daywhen what you are doing will be so commonplace that it is no longer news--when thereis real acceptance of neurodiversity and communication diversity, and the presumptionof ability.24 FEB 2011 11:26 PM

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Barbara Fischkin370 Fans · Author of Muddy Cup, Confidential Sources and Exc

I want to congratulate BOTH DJ and Oberlin.

Finding your voice when such an endeavor requires so much work; hearing a voicethat others may not.

These are both great things.24 FEB 2011 10:58 AM

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Rob Barget0 Fans

What a great follow up to Reasonable People! Is there some way to see the playsonline?23 FEB 2011 11:57 PM

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FEngels105 Fans

Wonderful piece.

Good luck with your fabulous son.23 FEB 2011 11:07 PM

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neurodad1 Fan

Thanks. --R.S.24 FEB 2011 3:45 PM

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ideasmatter241 Fans · Knowledge is free

Sir, my greatest respect to you and your family. It's people like you that preserve myfaith in this country.23 FEB 2011 10:27 PM

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neurodad1 Fan

I really appreciate this comment. --R.S.24 FEB 2011 3:46 PM

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mercerREADER1 Fan

What an amazing essay and story. I would congratulate DJ and the Savarese family forall they have accomplished, but in this case, I think it better to congratulate ourselveson our good fortune to live in such remarkable, inspiring times. We can all hear thesilver trumpet of freedom, DJ!23 FEB 2011 7:19 PM

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Tom MatlackSUPER USER · 7,246 Fans · Man, Husband, Dad, Writer, Venture Capitalist

Dude you are a rock star, a great tennis player, a former classmate, an amazing writer,and it sounds like you are one hell of a father. So cool to see you here on HuffPost!Maybe I missed it before but I have been patrolling the living section for a while now(my random ramblings here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-matlack). I foundedwww.goodmenproject.com a while back and I am sure we'd love to have you contribute.I will connect with you directly.

Standing O brother.

Tom23 FEB 2011 5:52 PM

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