By Nicole A. Wynn
In a busy Washington, D.C. classroom, a student rocks gently in his chair, hands over his ears.
The teacher assumes he’s being defiant and calls his name sharply. In reality, the fluorescent lights and echoing voices have overwhelmed his senses. This scene plays out daily in schools across the District not because educators lack compassion, but because too often, autism is seen as a behavior problem rather than a neurological difference that deserves understanding and accommodation.
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental condition that affects how a person communicates, learns and experiences the world. It exists on a spectrum, meaning no two individuals experience it in the same way. Some may have strong verbal and social skills, while others rely on sensory or visual processing to make sense of their environment. What’s consistent is that autism changes how the brain perceives and responds to sensory input lights, sounds, textures and emotions that many people take for granted.
As both a parent and advocate, I’ve spent years asking one central question: How can we shift public perception to view autism as a diagnosis rather than a definition of identity and promote more understanding of behaviors like impulsivity or emotional outbursts? It’s a question that drives my work and my parenting. Too often, people see a diagnosis as a label, not a lens for understanding and that misunderstanding follows children into classrooms, playgrounds and policy discussions alike.
It’s time for DC to rethink how it supports autistic students not as a matter of charity, but of civil rights and inclusion. Autism should be recognized as a diagnosis, not a definition of identity.
That means enforcing consistent Individualized Education Program (IEP) implementation, requiring autism awareness training for all educators and ensuring that every D.C. classroom is designed with sensory-friendly supports.
Misunderstanding Creates Barriers
Despite years of progress in special education, many still misunderstand what autism really means. Behaviors like impulsivity or emotional outbursts are often interpreted as deliberate defiance, when in fact they are signs of overstimulation or difficulty with communication.
Research shows that public misunderstanding fuels stigma and exclusion. Turnock et al. (2022) explain that stigma toward autism “is primarily influenced by public and professional understanding of autism in combination with interpretation of visible autistic traits.” When teachers and peers misinterpret these traits, children face unnecessary discipline or social isolation.
At one IEP meeting for my oldest son, I remember sitting across from a teacher who before understanding my son and his strength and disabilities she only saw a Black child with behavior problems. Which if I’m being honest, clearly made me very upset. Before she could start to explain the problem, I explained to her that he has autism. She then explained that he sometimes “shuts down” during loud group work and that she wasn’t sure how to handle it. I suggested noise-reduction headphones that I would provide if necessary and brief movement breaks simple accommodations that could keep him in class. Her response wasn’t resistance, but relief.
“No one ever told me that was okay, and I was not aware of his disability,” she said. That moment reminded me how often misunderstanding comes not from lack of care, but lack of knowledge.
With the right information and empathy, teachers can transform frustration into understanding.
D.C. prides itself on equity, but neurodiversity remains an area where policies lag behind ideals.
While schools are legally required to accommodate autistic students, parents often find themselves fighting for services their children are already entitled to.
Education and Training Can Change Perceptions
The first step toward lasting change is education not for students, but for the adults guiding them.
Research from Tsujita et al. (2023) found that when participants took part in a workshop that simulated autistic perception and included social contact with autistic individuals, negative attitudes significantly decreased and remained lower weeks later. This kind of experiential learning should be mandatory for D.C. educators.
Temple Grandin, a renowned scientist and autistic advocate, illustrates this concept powerfully in her TED Talk “The World Needs All Kinds of Minds” (2010). She explains that people with autism often think in pictures, patterns, or systems; ways of thinking that can drive innovation when supported instead of suppressed. Grandin reminds us, “The world needs different kinds of minds to work together.” Her message highlights why educators must move beyond behavior correction toward understanding and acceptance.
When teachers grasp that behaviors like rocking, fidgeting, or repeating phrases are coping strategies rather than defiance, they can respond with empathy and structure instead of punishment. D.C. should implement professional development modeled on this research and insight, ensuring all public-school teachers complete autism awareness and inclusion training.
For local guidance, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) already provides frameworks for special education, but these need stronger enforcement and follow-through. IEPs are designed to ensure individualized support, but their success depends on how faithfully schools apply them. As OSSE (n.d.) notes, D.C. students ages 3–21 are entitled to special education and related services under IDEA. Yet too often, these plans sit on paper while classrooms remain overwhelming environments.
Creating sensory-friendly spaces adjusting lighting, providing quiet corners and allowing movement breaks can reduce meltdowns and promote focus. These are not luxuries; they are equity measures. Policymakers should require schools to conduct regular audits to ensure accommodations are not optional and provide grants to help schools redesign classrooms to meet sensory needs. Federal law, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), already mandates that schools provide these accommodations, yet in my experience, some schools still do not fully abide by this law, as a parent trying to fight for their child, schools often assume you don’t know your rights. But when you show them that you do, they still don’t listen until you mention an advocacy lawyer. This lack of compliance leaves families struggling to fight for support their children are already legally entitled to receive, which is morally unfair.
Understanding Stimming and Emotional Expression
Parenting two boys with autism has shown me both the beauty and the exhaustion that comes with navigating a world not built for them. My older son often stims by playing with his hair or biting his nails when he’s anxious or focused. My youngest, on the other hand, needs music to stay calm and engaged. It helps him concentrate and process information in a way that words alone can’t. These are not bad habits; they are self-regulation tools, essential for helping them manage their sensory experiences and emotions.
Teachers and classmates must understand that stimming repetitive movements or sounds like rocking, tapping, humming, or hair twirling is a natural part of how many autistic individuals cope with their environment. When educators discourage or punish these behaviors, they’re unintentionally teaching students to suppress what helps them feel safe and grounded. Instead, teachers should normalize and respect stimming as a communication signal: a way for a child to say, “I’m overwhelmed,” or “This helps me focus.” Building this understanding into classrooms helps every student, not just autistic ones, by fostering empathy and emotional awareness.
I’ve seen teachers who light up my children’s confidence by taking time to understand them and others who, out of frustration or lack of training, mistake their sensory overload for misbehavior.
Every IEP meeting, every late-night meltdown, every reminder email to the school about accommodations has taught me that the system’s gaps are not just procedural–they’re emotional.
When families must constantly advocate to have their children seen and supported, it signals a deeper societal misunderstanding of autism itself.
A Call to Action
Washington, D.C. can lead the nation by reframing autism as a diagnosis that guides understanding, not a definition that limits identity. When we understand impulsivity, emotional outbursts, or stimming as expressions of sensory processing rather than disobedience, we not only help autistic children thrive, we redefine what inclusion truly means. Strengthening teacher training, enforcing IEP compliance and creating sensory-friendly classrooms are practical steps toward that goal.
Let’s make inclusion more than a promise on paper. Let’s make it the everyday practice of a city that chooses understanding over assumption one classroom, one teacher and one child at a time.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.