How Not to Kill Someone in Mental Health Crisis Armed With A Knife

When police shoot someone in a mental health crisis armed with – a knife, a knife, a knife, a knife, a hammer, a screwdriver, a broom handle, or a rock or any number of other weapons that are not firearms – the question arises: What could they have done differently?  The officers in such case generally, … Continue ReadingHow Not to Kill Someone in Mental Health Crisis Armed With A Knife

Disability, Trauma, and the Assault at Spring Valley High

Ever since watching the terrible video of a student being pulled from her desk and thrown to the ground, I’ve been waiting to learn how disability intersected with this case. I assumed it would, because the data shows that the two groups most vulnerable to violence at the hands of school authorities are people of … Continue ReadingDisability, Trauma, and the Assault at Spring Valley High

#CultOfCompliance – Compelling Compliance for Psychiatric Disability

Here’s a disturbing and complex manifestation of the cult of compliance:  Starting next week, San Francisco will be the fifth county in the state to implement Laura’s Law, the measure that allows judges to force severely mentally ill people to get treatment.The measure is targeted toward people who are resisting care and have a history … Continue Reading#CultOfCompliance – Compelling Compliance for Psychiatric Disability

Disability Journalism: Rose Eveleth on not writing ableist garbage

Rose Eveleth has become one of my favorite writers on technology. Lately, she’s been  focusing specifically on prosthetics. It’s an area that technology is rapidly transforming. It’s great to have deeply thoughtful journalists reporting on both the science and the social implications. In this blog post, she reflects on what she’s learned on her beat … Continue ReadingDisability Journalism: Rose Eveleth on not writing ableist garbage

Peter Singer’s Tells – He thinks his radical opinions on disability are just old news.

Peter Singer came to town to talk about altruism for a humanities festival. Local disability activists (sadly not including me), picketed the event, and the Daily Northwestern covered it. In their interview with Singer, he revealed something new to me. Singer’s extreme utilitarian views has led him to argue many things with which I disagree (i.e. … Continue ReadingPeter Singer’s Tells – He thinks his radical opinions on disability are just old news.

Adventures in Universal Design: Handwriting Notes and In-class Exams

We cannot say: The best pedagogy is handwriting because science, if that “best pedagogy” excludes so many people with disabilities. #ableism — David M. Perry (@Lollardfish) October 26, 2015 We must say: Let’s figure out what it is about handwriting (means) that produces good learning (ends) and universalize those ends. #pedagogy — David M. Perry … Continue ReadingAdventures in Universal Design: Handwriting Notes and In-class Exams

#FeesMustFall

Pay attention to South Africa and the #FeesMustFall movement, where students are protesting higher education costs and are being met with state violence. I’ve been watching the hashtag (and some related ones). The attempt to raise fees is broadly seen as a movement to exclude poor black students from higher education. Here’s a BBC article, … Continue Reading#FeesMustFall

November 14: Joliet Junior College Planetarium Hosts Neurodiverse-Friendly Show

One of my regular twitter correspondents reached out to me recently to discuss his plans for a low-sensory-input planetarium show. He already had all the good ideas, but we chatted and confirmed that this would work, and I’m thrilled he’s moved forward with the plan. Here’s the announcement. We’re planning to go! We wanted to … Continue ReadingNovember 14: Joliet Junior College Planetarium Hosts Neurodiverse-Friendly Show

Upcoming Chicagoland Talks

I’m giving a public lecture tonight, October 20, at Lewis University on disability and diversity in honor of the 25th anniversary of the ADA. I’ll also be a panelist at a workshop on disability and journalism on November 2-3, via Access Living and Poynter.