Trump asks about autism in educators meeting

Jordan Fabian
The Hill
Tue, 14 Feb 2017 12:05 UTC

President Trump quizzed a school principal about autism during a meeting with educators at the White House on Tuesday.

"Have you seen a big increase in the autism with the children?" Trump asked Jane Quenneville, the principal of a Virginia public school specializing in special education. Quenneville responded that she has, and noted her school "has shifted its population" to accommodate more students with autism.

"So what's going on with autism?" Trump asked. "When you look at the tremendous increase, it's really such an incredible — it's really a horrible thing to watch, the tremendous amount of increase. Do you have any idea?" Quenneville didn't provide an explanation, but cited statistics showing that autism affects 1 in 66 or 68 children.

"Maybe we can do something," Trump said, claiming the rate is "coming in even lower."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data last March that showed 1 in 68 school-aged children are diagnosed with autism, unchanged from its previous estimate. Trump did not say what he believes causes autism, but in the past he has linked vaccines to what he calls an "epidemic" of the condition. And 10 days before taking office, he met with leading vaccine skeptic Robert Kennedy Jr.

Scientists and researchers have found no evidence connecting vaccines to developmental disorders such as autism. "Studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing [autism]," according to the CDC.

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forestkitty · 2017-02-16T16:34:52Z

you cannot cover the desire for privatization of the public school system by the elite with discussions of autism. that is a medical issue, first. an educational issue, second. all americans are to be treated equal. education is not to be cut up and meted out according to fascists. the public school system is the only way to protect this fundamental right that is what made america great. you are going to financially make these school workers responsible. you are not going to let them color over our history. or rewrite it. you are not going to limit math to elementary for high school children. you are going to make them learn like we were made to learn. you are not going to reserve higher education for the elite. nor for the european and royal immigrants. we know what they want, trump. we are not stupid. we have common sense. we are not retarded. we know what is right. we know what is just. they would have had more success at this in the sixties. but they chose a sexual revolution instead. and WE are the ones who suffered for that. but WE are far more educated than our mothers and fathers were. and apparently, we came out with far higher morals than they ever expected. God will not save the queen. nor the vatican. the trinity of religions is broken. that's why most jews profess atheism. they would not want you to know that they supported all that. wouldn't want to be caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

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Trump asks about autism in educators meeting

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