Steve:
It is when it’s a matter of “requiring” overtime work for advancement. I’m not talking working LESS than the allotted time, I’m talking being unable to put in much or any overtime due to needing to get home to your kids.
This is something that even parents of regular kids have to deal with occasionally. Parents of Autistic children deal with it MUCH more frequently.
Of course, there’s also the fact that many parents of Autism spectrum children have to give up promotions voluntarily because the promotion would entail a move to a community with little or no Special Education programs available. Once you give up a promotion like that, you can often find yourself stigmatized in a company, even if you have perfectly valid reasons for doing it.
I’m not saying we need more nanny-state laws, I’m just saying people need to be more aware, and more sensitive to how difficult it is to parent an Autistic spectrum child. Realize that it is WRONG to “punish” someone by passing them up for promotion or raises just because they are responsible parents.
Ultimately, I think many of the issues surrounding Special Education could be solved with a school voucher program. Obviously, Children diagnosed by Medical professionals as Special Needs would have to get additional money, but as long as it could only be used to pay for school tuition there wouldn’t be a problem.
This would allow enterprising private individuals to set up schools for special needs children where they can get the focused attention and therapy they need. Since it would be based around market principles via a voucher system, there isn’t any worry of a “separate but unequal” type situation.
Of course, I doubt that will happen any time soon in my state (NY), but if it does become available in a state known for good SE programs, I might consider a move.
