Autism needs a school principal – Cape Town (Tableview)

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Posted on 6th May 2010 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Autism |Local is lekke

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I need to employ a qualified Principal for Growth Through Knowledge School, a small school situated in Table View specialising in learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The candidate should be familiar with the field of Autism, the education Curriculum, IEP’s and has the administration, professionalism and leadership ability required in a School. The ideal person should understand how unique/individual Autism are presented in each child, with creative, open-minded & holistic practical implementation in using a variety of therapies and educational teaching.

The Principal will be working together with a team of Teachers and the CEO of Autism Western Cape.

This is a full time position. Starting date 1st July 2010.  Candidates who have occupied a leadership position in a school, and has a Teacher qualification  are invited to submit by email a CV, proof of qualifications and 3 recent references.

For further information contact Julie Treloar at Julie@autismwesterncape.org.za

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

REAL beard growing men in South Africa!

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Posted on 7th April 2010 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Autism |Local is lekke

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What do you assume when you see a white male growing a full beard in South Africa? Is it maybe a new fashion statement for winter or is it in solidarity of the murdered Eugene Terreblanche?

A group of men growing their beards in solidarity to support a fight that’s been going on since 1943. The fight started by Dr. Leon Kanner by identifying a community of people, who are still discriminated against today.

Now these beard growing men are saying NO MORE, standing up for these rights until the BIG day 15 July 2010, when they will reveal themselves. Who knows what this will mean in South Africa? I deem it my duty to expose them.

Do you know the following faces:

The Leader

He’s known as Paul Scott to his friends and family. He has been seen in the Cape Town area.

The 5 year man

He’s know to his friends and family as Adin Van Ryneveld also been see in the Cape Town area.

The UK leader

Known to his friends and family as Ken Treloar. He was spotted in Cape Town, however rumor has it that he went to the UK to grow the movement in North Yorkshire.

The men should not be approached without respect & appreciation for they have committed to grow their beards to stand up for what they believe in. After investigation I found a link to codename “beardbets” where most of their activity takes place.

If you spot, encounter or come across any of these individuals please write you comments on this post and Tweet about it!

It’s our duty to keep a watch full eye over this group of men. They might just change the wwworld for some people.

Again, my Autistic child has to miss out …

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Posted on 1st April 2010 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Autism |Local is lekke |Real stories about real families with Autism |Uncategorized

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One of my staff, who’s also a parent wrote this article about their experience with Autism. It reminded me again of the individual uniqueness of Autism. Claire gave me permission to publish this article.

“So it’s that time of year again, Easter weekend has arrived with much excitement for most. For me personally, it’s more of “oh crap” again.

One of the many down sides to Autism and trust me there are many, is that my daughter’s diet is very restricted. A common trait amongst many Autists is that they have certain food intolerances. Their bodies don’t have the ability to digest certain proteins. Foods like casein (protein found in dairy) and gluten (protein found in wheat) are two huge culprits! For Kelly though her food intolerance list unfortunately is more extensive. No two Autists are the same so therefore chances of intolerances being the same are slim. When she eats wheat or diary, her pupils become enlarged, her behaviour unmanagable, does not respond to us and pretty much it “out of reach” for an 18 hour period. These are only external symptoms, internally, damage is being done.

So my little 9 year old girl doesn’t get to enjoy Easter like most children do. My little girl doesn’t get to enjoy Easter egg hunts, eat Easter Eggs or eat Hot Cross Buns. In fact, my little girl doesn’t get to celebrate Easter. Before you go off giving me the drill about Easter being about God and not Easter Eggs let me just tell you, when you are 9 years old, the only thing you give a crap about is the chocolate eggs and the smell of Hot Cross Buns being toasted in the oven. You walk into shops and isles are dedicated to Easter Eggs, most of the time, the isle in which you wait to pay your bill whilst holding the hand of a child big eyed at the feast laid before her which she may not eat.

So a few years later we have started to get the hang of how to make Easter vanish as much as possible. See the thing is we have always tried so hard to not let Kelly feel “left out” in life. An impossible task, perhaps but we give it our best shot anyway. Our choice, sure, our child, our decision to make it a little less painful for her.

So this is the way we celebrate Easter….

Hide the Easter Eggs that belong to our 4yr old NT daughter (neuro-typical = ‘normal’) and make sure she gets them whilst Kelly is doing a fun activity outside.

No Easter Egg hunts at our house.

Easier to hide Easter by staying home than going away for the long weekend.

Hubby and I will buy Hot Cross Buns and eat them at night or at our offices.

Kelly does not get taken to the shops where food is sold whilst the Easter craze is happening.

Good Friday has become just Friday or Fish Braai day at a friend’s house.

Sunday, each of our girls gets given a coco based ‘chocolate’ and no issue is made around why.

Easter Monday has become Lucky Monday – lucky us for not having to go to work today and we survived the no-easter weekend!So whilst you are all sitting with your excited precious little one’s opening their Easter Eggs,hunting in the gardens, faces smeared with chocolate smiles, think of how many children who will not be sharing this joy. This happy time of year that most of us grew up with and took for granted, a tradition regardless, that I cannot share with my daughter.”

Follow Claire on Twitter

A father & grandfather’s call for support!

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Posted on 31st March 2010 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Autism |Real stories about real families with Autism |Uncategorized

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2 April 2010

The April is Autism Awareness Month and 2nd April 2010 marks World Autism Awareness Day, an unprecedented global effort to heighten awareness about a disorder affecting about 67 Million families globally.  Whilst we celebrate the rights and acknowledge people with Autism today, Governments support for people with Autism is extremely disappointing. International leaders have shown the public commitment to change the world of Autism.

More children will be diagnosed with Autism this year than with Diabetes, Cancer and AIDS combined. our aim is to create meaningful awareness and raise the necessary funding to provide services to children and adults with Autism that so desperately require our help and support.

Autism: “As a father and grandfather, I want to see more UN involvement” –  Ban Ki-Moon (UN Secretary General)

What’s the reality in South Africa?

Government continues to discriminate against the basic human rights for people with Autism. The South African Government has not acknowledge the existence World Autism Awareness Day!

In South Africa, organisations, service providers, schools, families live with Autism on a daily basis with very limited to no funding from Government Departments. How long can the south African Government ignore the plight from parents and the United Nations to start taking part ownership of Autism in South Africa?

Dear President Zuma, I urge you to acknowledge and respect the rights of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder in South Africa. I further more request you to publicly pledge your personal support and motivate your Department to work in partnership with current service providers to create a better life for people with Autism and their families in South Africa.

Autism: “I deserve acceptance and respect as I am”

I suppose it’s a start with Government publishing an official acknowledgment of World Autism Awareness Day. Is this to be politically correct or is there any intention to do something about Autism in South Africa?

One day I will celebrate Human Rights Day!

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Posted on 21st March 2010 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Autism |Real stories about real families with Autism |Uncategorized

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This week was the most difficult days in my life I’ve had to face my own reality with Autism. We established additional school for learners with Autism 5 years ago, due to the demand for additional educational service, because the South African Government don’t give a shit about Autism in South Africa.

We established the school to provide for the basic Human Right to Education for all children, not for Kendall but for the rest of the children benefiting from it today. This week the staff individually looked in the eyes and told me “I’m not prepared to work with your child, because of who she is”. Kendall’s unique Autism presents anxiety, self injury, unpredictable challenging behavior and she gets aggressive. We don’t have the answers. We have looked at it in every thinkable way ranging from medication, holistic, therapy to alternative healing methods.

How do you digest the fact that there are nobody who are prepared to love and care for your child other than you. In leaving the school Kendall gave me a hug and a smile, and that’s good enough for me. She don’t have to talk to be able to communicate with me, I know the who’s inside those beautiful blue eyes.

Who other then us as parents will fight for the rights of our children?

I think if Kendall would have a song to communicate her perception on life it would be:

“Hands”

If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we’re all OK
And not to worry ’cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won’t be made useless
I won’t be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own

And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes
It didn’t steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn’t ever after
We’ll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what’s right
‘Cause where there’s a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray

We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s mind
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s heart
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands

I won’t let the sun go down on me!

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Posted on 19th March 2010 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Autism |Local is lekke |Real stories about real families with Autism

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Yesterday was one of those “dad’s don’t like to talk about” days. I got emotional and cried like a BIG baby, because I don’t have the answers in coping with Kendall’s unique Autism. The perfect day started with a phone call in the bank, asking us me remove Kendall from her class, because of another attack on the her teacher. The poor dude have the evidence looking like and Adidas add walking around with his three-strip-plasters-scratch-marks on his arms and head. 100 opinions later, debriefing and Kendall was at home with a note in her daily communication book.

Live the life with Autism

I love my daughter toooooo much to consider the easy way out in dumping her in some “home, institution, nut house”, she’s my child & responsibility even if some fuck head’s refer to me as misrepresenting myself as a parent of a child with Autism, because I am not her biological father. The sperm donor’s role is limited to 1 Birthday card in 13 years, so fuck you.

I am writing this post to serve as a wake up call that Autism Spectrum Disorder is not just about the high functioning individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Like my family there are thousands of other families in South Africa struggling with it on a daily basis. Yes, I am pissed off that Government are not taking interest in Autism in South Africa, they have a duty to support families with Autism, but until some “fat cat” child’s is diagnosed with Autism and get off his fat arse to actually doing something for their own child, nothing will happen in South Africa.

Please don’t feel sorry for me & my family, you can do something about it, shout, scream, blog, fart, become the next president, get drunk, I don’t care what you do. I need to get the Autism awareness out there so that other families don’t have to deal with this on their own.

If you want to you can buy a badge in support of April Autism Awareness Month and World Autism Awareness Day (2 April 2010) for ZAR 5 to help me getting the word out there that more than 1% of our population in South Africa can not be ignored no more.

Autism is part of my life

Adopt, Adapt, Improve

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Posted on 12th March 2010 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Autism |Real stories about real families with Autism

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I hash tagged #102010 because of the significance of October 2010 in the life of my family. I learned from Round Table to “Adopt, Adapt, Improve” which has pretty much become my philosophy in life.

10 years ago Kendall our daughter was diagnosed with severe Autism, which was a pretty devastating time in our life. As a family we “adopted” this challenge as a family when we soon realised that there are very limited services available for children with Autism in South Africa.

We had to “Adapt” our life to the change and it was difficult when we realised that Kendall will always be dependent on us as her only support structure in her life. We invested our lives into ensuring that Kendall gets the best. This meant that we lost every thing we owned. I remember times of tutors buying us a bag of potatoes as only food in the house & walking to the shop with a plastic bag with bottles to get money for petrol. This we did based on “emotional blackmail” by private service providers, for gain & hiding behind religion, who casually made statements like: “she will talk within 6 months and will start in a normal school, all you have to do is…” Which naive parent wouldn’t give their life for their children.

We have lived Autism for the last 10 years trying to “improve” the life of other families sharing a lifestyle with Autism. In certain areas we failed horribly, but I feel that we have made a difference even if it’s a very small one.

October 2010 my family will “Adopt” the English lifestyle in the UK. I love South Africa with every drop of blood, however I need to look at what’s in the best interest of my family. I hope that what I have learned I will be able to contribute in a country where Government cares about it’s people, if they will have me.

We will be working our butt’s off until October, with some BIG changes about to happen which will change the face of Autism in South Africa, starting in April (Autism Awareness Month) and World Autism Awareness Day 2 April 2010.

Please “adopt” Autism to help us to “adapt and improve” the lives of people with Autism in South Africa.

“There is nothing magical about change, it is getting up of your ass and caring enough to take the first step to contribute to change on an issue you care about.” – Jody Williams – Nobel Prize Winner – 1997

Joining Parties with no political agenda!

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Posted on 10th March 2010 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Autism |Local is lekke

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I received a pretty new brochure for the DA with the slogan “BETTER EDUCATION BRIGHTER FUTURE” which made me very excited that a political party cares about Education in South Africa.

DA - BETTER EDUCATION BRIGHTER FUTUREIn reading with great interest:

CREATING A SOCIETY WITH REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL

The DA’s vision for South Africa is a society with real opportunities for all. This requires quality education for all our children. Improving education is one of South Africa’s biggest challenges, following 15 years of decline in many schools. The DA pledges that, within 15 years of taking power nationally, all children will emerge from schools able to read, write and calculate at internationally benchmarked levels.

TO DO THIS , THE DA WILL START BY GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT

  • Teachers and officials will be present, punctual and prepared to do their jobs every day.
  • There will be a special emphasis on reading, writing and calculating in every classroom.
  • Principals and officials will be hels accountable for improving results through performance contracts with achievement targets for each school.
  • There will be good text books for each subject in every grade, ready for the start of each year.
  • Children will be tested for literacy and numeracy at the end of grades 3, 6 and 9.
  • At the beginning of each year parents will be informed of the standards their children should reach by the end of the year.
  • There will be support and training for teachers to achieve literacy and numeracy targets, and their administrative load will be reduced.
  • Principals will be offered specialised school management training.
  • Effective discipline will be established in schools.
  • There will be a special focus on attracting, retaining, and rewarding excellent teachers.
  • Options for higher education will be expanded to include vocational and skills training as well as university education.

Wow awesome vision for South Africa Education, however one small thing missing. Where would learners with special educational needs fit into the future of education in South Africa?

Currently funding for the development of additional LSEN (Learners with Special Educational Needs) schools seems to be non existing. Yes I am looking at this in a one sided as example, because I receive the calls from desperate parents with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder looking for schools for their children. Current International Autism prevalence statistics indicate 1:158 ranging on different continents starting range from 1:86.

The current educational structure for autism in South Africa cannot cope with the demand with waiting list of up to 2 years.

Organisation working in the field of Autism function on their own financial ability to provide the best, individualised, quality education with dedicated and passionate staff, working their butts of everyday to change the lives of families.

It is time for Government and political parties to acknowledge that the prevalance of Autism Spectrum Disorder is increasing in epidemic proportion globally. Political parties and Government need to act now, learn for Gordon Brown and Barack Obama in taking ownership of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Looking for information on Autism on the DA website resulted in

In order to be fair I did a search for Autism on all the other political parties website and no information available.

I can only therefore conclude that no political party in South Africa care or prioritise Autism in South Africa. On the 2nd of April 2010 Autism groups & Governments around the world will acknowledge World Autism Awareness Day .

I urge you to start looking at the constitutional rights to education of children with Autism in South Africa.

The real BEE deal

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Posted on 23rd September 2009 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Local is lekke |Real stories about real families with Autism

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Over the last couple of months I have read a lot about all the BIG BEE deals especially in South Africa. So whats the Big deal? It’s fair to say it’s all about the money, honey!

I facilitated a massive BEE deal with a difference, BEE threatened the safety of the children, staff and parents at Growth Through Knowledge School for Autistic Learners in Table View.

The staff advised me of some intrusive and unwelcome “squatters” moving in to our school and I took decisive action, to remove them with professional assistance.

The invasion turned in to education, with a sensory learning experience for the children and staff. The children investigated the delicate construction and structure of bees wax forming the comb through touching & feeling. The surprise of licking the sweet honey directly from the comb,which I admit was my first time to.

The photo’s of the kids will not be published by the request of the parents.

Up close and personal with honey:

How many human engineers will it take to construct?

How many human engineers will it take to construct?

Potecting the brood

Protecting the brood

Bee hive the perfect construction in nature.

I love BEE, our children and staff got the sweetest deal ever from nature. Nature is making a difference to the lives of our children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

AUTISM – A PART OF OUR WORLD NOT A WORLD APART

Happy Birtday to me

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Posted on 14th September 2009 by Gerhard Pieterse aka jail4bail in Real stories about real families with Autism |Uncategorized

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I am dyslexic and I love it, I can write whatever I want.

Turning 39 is no big deal, no milestone date other than just another birthday with not much planned other than spending time with my awesome family, the way I like it. I woke up with my wonderful Julie and kids bringing pressies and singing Happy Birthday to daddy. What a great feeling to be blessed with my family. Jamie’s excitement in opening the pressies created lots of giggles. Just another day, that is if you don’t have an child with Autism in you house hold. Let me make it clear Kendall has difficulties with her own unique Autism and no one person with Autism is the same.

How does this day change, like Cape Town weather, in a bit of a sad day and interesting day?

With the house hold in Sunday relax mode, all of us on our jammies, Kendall burst into a psychotic mode, ripping her clothes, screaming, hitting herself, biting her favourite finger, throwing furniture around the room and attacking me with hatred in her eyes. I looked a the clock in defending myself and Jamie, thinking it’s not even 12 o’clock. Happy Birthday to me.

Now, this is nothing new in our household with Kendall ripping her clothes pretty much everyday. I looked at Kendall, feeling the tears building, and released again, how lucky I am with having 2 other neurotypical monsters around, who by now has caused havoc in the rest of the house.

The trigger for this behavior was simply because Kendall wanted to watch Teletubbies, whilst -Rubberbubbers was on.

Kendall went from wildly aggressive to a giggly 12 year old angel over a bath. Julie slaving over lunch, the finest English food, which I am sure the Heart Foundation would not approve off, to feed 4 house holds. I watched Jamie and Kendall interacting thinking, how great it was to see them together, which is something you don’t see on a regular basis.

Grandma and grandad arrived with pressies, with more singing and excitement. Kendall changed her clothes, which in retrospect, we should have seen her communication, even if she’s non-verbal.

Only when it was time for grandma & grandad to say goodbye did we realise her anticipation. She wanted to go and sleep over. Monday being school and grandma & grandad going away for the week, it was no option.

It triggered deja vu like in the morning, this time more aggressive and intense. For some reason the anger was directed my way and I did very well not to get scratched, bitten or hurt in the process. Kendall is as strong as a bull. I battle with my 123kg over 2 meter frame to protect myself and the rest of the family when she gets herself in the state.

Eventually it was bed time without too many hassles, screams, shouts and furniture flying around. We removed her favorite throwing table form her room and the quite after the storm set in.

The day ended with a high, a Happy birthday call from my mom and dad. In their mid-seventies living on the same small holding in Jozi for the last 40 years, makes me concerned most of the time, but today was different, it was my birthday.

Dad came on, with Happy Birthday my son, and bursting into tears. I though shit I am on 39 years old dad it’s not that bad. My dad followed up with, the car broke down, top gasket and tyre gone, his hobby job as loft keeper (Racing Pigeons) for a friend ended, because the guys own the Receiver a big money, the Chow and 3 of the 6 puppies died of tick bite fever, (1 black Chow-Chow puppy was heading our way) and then the final bit, it seems that my dad has a growth in/on his Prostate which he and the GP is very worried about. Test and biopsy for later this week.

Mom Gerhard Pieterse`30 years agodidn’t sound much better through the tears.

and still

Jamie is singing: “Happy Bifday to loo, Happy bifday to loo, hipi, hipi horay”

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