Should autistic adults be allowed to make IEP decisions for

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In New York, parents can request an additional "parent member" to participate in the IEP meeting. The "parent member" resides in the district or a neighboring district and is supposed to help the parent in making educational decisions for their child. "Parent members" are given training for this and need to pass a security clearance and be fingerprinted.

Should education agencies have programs where parents can request autistic adults to participate in IEP meetings and help them make educational decisions for their child? Autistic adults will also be given training and pass a security clearance and be fingerprinted.

Yes.

or to put it another way,

I see no reason why this should be refused by the state. If the parent is allowed request another person be present and assist them, then it should be up to the parent's discretion whether the person they request is autistic or not. I don't see that the person's neurology should even have to be disclosed unless they want it to be. It should have no bearing whatsoever.

If someone comes to an IEP meeting with another person, or whatever the case may be in this situation regarding naming someone to be trained to act in this position with a parent in need, I would think it would be an actionable offense for the school officials to say "I'm sorry but your companion there must leave, we don't allow autistic adults in these meetings - oh wait, they're not autistic? Well then that's fine after all. Oh, you were just testing me and they ARE autistic? Well then like I said, he has to leave."

I realize this is simplifying the steps involved etc but my point is that it would be very wrong to require people to be of a certain neurology or other in order for them to have their input matter, if the parent WANTS them there giving input.

bump

Emphatically yes. As in, it should be automatically considered a prima facie violation of an Autistic student's civil rights if they don't have an Autistic adult (or two, or more) weigh in on their IEP.