Update ! ACTION ALERT: Torture as an Educational Tool

"spanking, pinching, forcing to eat taste aversives (vinegar mix, jalapeno peppers, or hot sauce), withholding food, forcing to smell ammonia, spraying water to the face, forcing to listen to static noises through specially designed helmets, and their trade mark method, the use of the Graduated Electronic Decelerator (GED), which simply put is a shocking device that delivers a jolt to the student/patient of up to 65 volts of electricity through remote control. These aversives are sometimes administered while the patient has their hands and feet restrained."

Sounds like Guantanamo doesn't it? ;It's a residential school in Massachusets.
I posted this last night, but it rolled off. Please take the time to get involved. Please help! I am a member of a chat room on Yahoo with people who have Autistic Spectrum Disorders.  They will allow people like myself to join in.  People who do not have a diagnosis but do work in the field; if we are respectful and trying to better understand our students by conversing with people who can explain Autism from the inside.
These folks are currently rallying to effect legislation moving through the New York State Senate and Assembly. Even if you don't live in New York, please let the legislators know that America is watching.
I am asking that you please take the time to check out the site that is listed below:  

link<http://mikestanton.wordpress.com/2006/05/26/the-judge-rotenberg-center>

Applied Behavioral Analysis is the most frequently used technique for helping people with Autism.  It can be very powerful and helpful in the right hands.  BF Skinner himself spoke out against what are called aversives.
Most educators will acknowledge that positive reinforcement is the most effective means to change behavior.  Aversives are the opposite. It is punishment.  There are programs that are using some very extreme measures on adults with difficult behaviors.  Parents whose children attend these schools are supportive of these programs because they are desperate to help their children.
Beyond the human rights issues, many of the students in the school may be displaying these dangerous behaviors because of undiagnosed and painful medical problems and sensory disorders.
These problems go undiagnosed, because there is such a focus on external behavior that possible internal causes are dismissed.  The students are often nonverbal and cannot speak up for themselves.
Two people have died at this school while undergoing aversive treatment.
I want to emphasize that the people who are working on this campaign are themselves Autistic. This is not just arguments between professionals. These are people who have the same or similar diagnoses saying, "This is wrong".  It is illegal in the state of Massachusets for anyone to recieve this sort of treatment...unless the person has a handicap.  Then you don't have any rights.
Please take the time to check out the article and take action as directed for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Please recommend so that the maximum number of people can see it and help.   Thank You.