What would we put in an Aspie high school?

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Say we started a special high school just for Aspies. What would we have in it?


I KNOW that someone will suggest a hug machine...


I suggest a nurse's office stocked with Vicoden (a painkiller that lifts depression immediately, for emergencies where they can't wait for a run-of-the-mill antidepressant to kick in) and/or ketamine (an antidepressant that works within hours rather than weeks), again for emergencies.


It'll be so fun decorating the place; one room can have the ceiling and the walls from top to bottom covered in newspaper clippings like that little hutch in Children of Men, another room can be covered in the first million digits of pi (or however many fit)... yet another can be covered in quotes by famous Aspies, we can have a hall with pictures hanging in it of famous Aspies and a plaque with a little blurb on them... we can have a room decorated with mathematical formulas... another decorated with scientific formulas... another decorated with imitations of famous works of art by Aspies... the halls can have imitations of statues built by Aspies... Aspies can start any club at the school they want... the school will have its own online webboard and chatroom... we'll put the Judge Rotenberg Center to shame!

Last edited by Ana54 on 12 Jan 2008, 2:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

We need a large library.

Lots of quiet areas.

It'd need tons of computers for sure.

Of course!


Let's keep brainstorming!


We can have in-school jobs for the Aspie kids that don't want to work out in the community... cleaning the school, organizing the library, cooking meals in the caf, etc.


We can put on a fundraising, funny but insightful play and make a movie to show the parents showing Aspie kids and what they go through.


We will of course have Aspie parties all the time' none of this one-prom-at-the-end-of-high-school stuff... we can have the school open on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays for the students, staff and families to come and socialize... we can have a special lunch program where we provide the kids with food they will eat, made and served the way they want it...


Hmmm, we can have optional school clothing in our special blue and green colors with the school logo and slogan on it... not uniforms, but Aspie pride kind of stuff... made with all kinds of materials to suit all kinds of sensory needs, and also all kinds of styles-- t-shirts, sweatshirts, turtlenecks, cardigans, blazers, jackets, windbreakers, coats, cloaks, capes, trenchcoats, raincoats, dresses, jumpers, skirts, blouses, tank tops, halter tops, kimonos, robes, slacks, jeans, sweatpants, dress slacks, leggings, shorts, capris, knickerbockers, hats, scarves, gloves, neck warmers, boots, shoes, socks, stockings, pantyhose, boxers, skorts, hoodies, aprons, housecoats, bathrobes, bathing suits, jumpsuits, camisoles, vests, doublets, belts, saches, sandals, flipflops, holey shoes (Crocs), And accessories too: purses, book bags, suitcases, duffel bags, shopping bags, bush hats, watch caps, headscarves, armbands, sweatbands, headbands, baseball caps, toques, everything you can think of! Selling this stuff will also raise funds for the school!

Those are some good ideas, Ana!

There also must be lots of interesting classes and fieldtrips! And it'd never be too early or late to turn in homework either. As long as it eventually gets turned in, it's good!

Yeah; just as long as it's turned in at the end of the year!


We should have "autobiographical writing" as an optional class!


It should be environmentally friendly... my building design in another thread is environmentally friendly... I'll have to dig it up.


We should send our kids out to high schools in groups to tell their stories to the whole school.


We should have an always-welcome policy... no open house day; every day is an open house.


For extracurricular activities I have:


1. painting Aspie-power murals all over the school

2. creating the monthly school newspaper

3. making movies that glorify Aspies, acting in them... the movies can be submitted to the independant film festivals

4. a sport lots of Aspies might like... like an obstacle course, where the Aspies imagine the evil bullies chasing them or whatever.

5. a club for each computer/video game, allowing for competition


Each student can have as many lockers as they want, as long as there are enough to go around.

Students don't have to sit in class; just as long as they pass at the end of the year, they're good. Marks are given for participation but only on a progress report, not an official report card.

There is no signing in and out of classes. Students could just carry radio-like things or at least a panic button with a GPS; when they press the button a light turns on at the office under their number, photo and name, and on the connected computer it gives their location so that security can be dispatched to the area immediately.

I think it would be nice to have social skills classes. In my envisioning, each class would be co-taught by an aspie teacher and an NT teacher, allowing the students to synthesize the wisdom offered from two teachers' unique experiences and perspectives. Plus, the dialogue between the two teachers could serve as a microcosm of the discourse and understanding which should occur between aspies and NT's but is not particular viable in the present. They could talk about things that we've always wanted to talk about with NT's but didn't feel able to bring up, allowing us to fill in at least a few gaps in our future interactions with NT's.

All these good ideas!


We should also go to the hospitals and tell them, "We know the medical records of these children are confidential, but when they turn 11 can you please, please find them and send them a letter telling them they've been accepted at Slogwarts School of Autism and Aspergers?" Or whatever it'll be called.

Oh, and it should be a boarding school!

preferably, some aspies, maybe even some teachers

Computers on every desk.

Yes, 1 computer per student.


Self defence classes would be nice.


We can have Cat Week, where everyone brings their cat to school.

I second the library! Enormous one.

If there was infinite space, I would say one sleeping room per student (in a boarding school). Roommates/bunkmates made me have bad meltdowns.

It would also be preferable if they each had their own washroom... if they give prisoners their own toilets and sinks why not give them to us too? *pout*

What about a general pet week instead of just cats?

Other ideas I thought of was the school being all one storey...I know that some with AS [including myself] have a dendency to fall down stairs!

In each block of classrooms, there can also be a "sensory room". Would be a large room with all sorts of things to accomodate all sorts of sensory needs. [Yes Ana54...with a hug machine!].

Also, the weekly Obsession Fair. With prizes for the best obsession project.


We would of course have psychiatry and psychology as optional courses. Criminology and sociology too.


The library would be well-stocked with every book on AS there is, as well as depression and anxiety.

The worst thing about my high school was the lunch period. Loud and obnoxious. I moved out to the patio during my last year because it was quieter out there. Have options for where to eat.

Make literature courses optional. Don't force people to read and analyze books, it takes the joy out of reading.

Plenty of windows/skylights, etc.

Provide a decent form of transportation (i.e. not the yellow limo/cheese wagon/whatever you call it)

Field trips, and lots of them, though make them optional for those who don't like them.