# People who scam parents of S/PMH kids **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 17, 2007, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158 "2007-07-17T18:02:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/41 "2007-07-18T22:40:25Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] See, now\* that \ ***is** being a scamster. :mad: I don’t think the kids drawing with 99% help is a scam, no one is being hurt, and I bet some of the kids are drawing a little. After all, my _cat_ can “paw paint”. [/QUOTE] You’re right, even if there’s no cognitive sense of creation there they’ve got a good chance of responding to the physical stimulus, the colors, or even the tactile stimulation. Even if they don’t the physical activity of painting is better than nothing. As long as they don’t pretend that the art contains messages from the child it’s one of those things that might help, and couldn’t hurt. Again, I save my ire for the [facilitated communication frauds.](http://seab.envmed.rochester.edu/jaba/articles/1995/montee-full.html) ---
**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/42 "2007-07-18T22:48:27Z")
[QUOTE=Little Bird] What **Can Handle the Truth** has a problem with isn’t the “all inclusive” classes, or the stimulation these children get. He has a problem with the teachers creating their own work and then passing it off to the parents as the child’s. [/QUOTE] Really? I was more focused on this part of the OP, which you totally seemed to gloss over: [QUOTE=Can Handle The Truth] And yet, the state has deemed that these kids should have an art class. [/quote] The OP clearly has a problem with money being spent on these sub-human _things_, and is hiding it behind false empathy for the parents. Pretty despicable if you ask me. Pretty RETARDED. If god forbid the OP suffer a medical crisis that turns him crippled and mute, I would sincerely hope his attitude would be returned to him in full. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/43 "2007-07-18T22:52:38Z")
It does seem vaguely creepy, if we’re talking the equivalent of a round of balloon volleyball with Terri Schiavo. That said, I remember teachers telling my parents I “had a lot of potential” and that they “enjoyed having me in their class” and “hated to see me go,” three world-class fuckin’ whoppers if I’ve ever heard one. Can’t be much worse for a disabled kid’s parents to believe they have some kind of shortbus Picasso on their hands because he drew a shape that tenuously resembles a moocow. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/44 "2007-07-18T23:21:19Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Can’t be much worse for a disabled kid’s parents to believe they have some kind of shortbus Picasso on their hands because he drew a shape that tenuously resembles a moocow. [/QUOTE] My friend had to instruct my daughter, the babysitter, to change her 12 year old daughter’s maxi pad after 4 hours. I don’t think she suffers from ANY misconceptions about what her child’s abilities are. Do you? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/45 "2007-07-18T23:52:02Z")
Not sure. Is the kid a performance artist, or did you just bring up a 12-year-old’s menses to try to make me uncomfortable? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/46 "2007-07-19T00:42:53Z")
Based on the thread title, I was expecting something about a “scam” to trick the parents out of money. Instead, we have some well-meaning, underpaid teachers who have found an imperfectly honest way to fill up their classroom time. Not nearly so bad. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/47 "2007-07-19T00:57:31Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] Amen. My friends up the street cannot hold jobs that pays over x amount of dollars (something ridiculous like $20k) because it would threaten their daughter’s Medicaid. Without Medicaid they couldn’t afford the neurologists and tests and surgeries and physical and mental therapy that their daughter needs. S is getting older, and heavier, and they cannot afford to put up a handicapped ramp. They haven’t been on a vacation in years and, even if they could, where could they go to take a severely handicapped child? Children who suffer from life threatening conditions have support networks and MakeAWish programs and their friends throw fundraisers to help them. Children who suffer from ongoing devastating illnesses… get ignored. [/QUOTE] Would they be eligible for Family Resource dollars from their county Board of MRDD? It’s worth checking into, and putting in a handicapped ramp should be eligible - as would respite care. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/48 "2007-07-19T01:29:51Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Not sure. Is the kid a performance artist, or did you just bring up a 12-year-old’s menses to try to make me uncomfortable? [/QUOTE] You seem to be uncomfortable enough in your own skin for my words to have any consequence. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/49 "2007-07-19T01:50:03Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] You seem to be uncomfortable enough in your own skin for my words to have any consequence. [/QUOTE] Sorry, don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure. I’m **Vinyl Turnip**. And you are? ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/50 "2007-07-19T02:28:20Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Sorry, don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure. I’m **Vinyl Turnip**. And you are? [/QUOTE] I think her name is Lisa. I’m not sure what she does for a living. Some kind of critic or commentator. What’s the word for that? What I do know is that with all that critiquin’ and commentatin’ she must have lost her sense of humor. “shortbus Picasso”.. _::chuckle::_ Good one, **V.T.** Also, I think I figured out your username. Pretty damn clever ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/51 "2007-07-19T02:43:08Z")
I have five priorities that overfill my day. I can tell you, and it won’t be much according to the model of public policy, but it will be very close to the truth. Socialization Hydration Nutrition Hygiene These four are listed in order of importance. And then, it’s time to go home. Some days, recreational therapists take over the first priority. That makes my day, although more importantly, it makes my clients day. I watch people give hand over hand guidance (Take the person’s hand, and make the correct motion with it) and push a bowling ball half an inch down a ramp that is carefully aimed at a set of extra light pins twenty feet away. We call it bowling. We enjoy it a great deal, laughing, and feeling very good. Yes, it’s a scam. There is no competition, and we cheat on the score. It doesn’t really resemble “sport” all that much. I am untroubled by the inherent dishonesty in it. In your life, perhaps things are different. You want my reality to change? Come on over and help us cheat on the scores. You may have to get excited and cheer about fairly small things, like moving a hand half a inch with a lot of help. If you can’t, don’t bother coming over. We don’t need help that much. ## Tris “As I know more of mankind, I expect less of them, and am ready now to call a man a good man, upon easier terms than I was formerly.” ~ Samuel Johnson, 1783 ~ ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/52 "2007-07-19T05:51:11Z")
Really, I never thought I would see the day that a bunch of teachers who work with the severely handicapped would be pitted. I expect a pitting of fluffy kittens next, or I will demand my money back. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/53 "2007-07-19T06:30:45Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] I expect a pitting of fluffy kittens next, or I will demand my money back. [/QUOTE] Viking Kittens. [http://www.echelonrana.com/viking.html](http://www.echelonrana.com/viking.html) 😛😃 ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/54 "2007-07-19T19:57:23Z")
[QUOTE=Yeticus Rex] While I do agree with the rest of your post, I find that your child being subjected to such a “waiting list” is outrageous. There is virtually a crime being committed by politicians and bureaucracy in the state of Indiana. May I suggest that you move out of Indiana to a state that can do something NOW. California is one of those states. I’m not saying we are the best, but at least I know that you can move here, schedule an intake for your daughter through the Regional Center System (contracted with the CA Dept. of Developmental Services), and start getting services in weeks or months instead of years. [CA DDS](http://www.dds.ca.gov/) We are contracted with one of those regional centers to provide services for adults with many levels of mental retardation, CP, autism, etc. Other programs work with school-age children, and still others, with infants and/or toddlers. Many parents come to us and tell us that we are a godsend to them as well as for their adult children. They also tell us that we help them provide a sense of “normalcy” in their lives. Whatever you do, thoughts and prayers for you and your child. [/QUOTE] That is amazing. If there was any possible way of moving to CA I’d do it in a heartbeat, unfortunately, what little support I do have is here in Indiana and if I moved out there I’d have to leave my husband (he has two kids here) and my whole family to be alone with the kiddo. And that’s just not something I can do. ---
**Author:** ![8675309](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/ea5d25/32.png) [@8675309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/8675309)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/55 "2007-07-19T21:26:29Z")
[QUOTE=Can Handle the Truth] So what happens is, the teacher and the two aides put paintbrushes, crayons, or markers \*\*into a kid’s hand, close their hands around the kid’s hand, and guide \*\* the kid’s hand to do artwork, as well as wrinting the kid’s name on the paper. [/QUOTE] (bolding mine) It sounds to me like the teachers were doing the best they could to make it a cooperative effort, and the parents really enjoy the effort. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/56 "2007-07-20T17:47:17Z")
[QUOTE=Indygrrl] That is amazing. If there was any possible way of moving to CA I’d do it in a heartbeat, unfortunately, what little support I do have is here in Indiana and if I moved out there I’d have to leave my husband (he has two kids here) and my whole family to be alone with the kiddo. And that’s just not something I can do. [/QUOTE] Completely understood…that’s what makes it so gut-wrenching for you. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/57 "2007-07-20T21:22:14Z")
Looks like **Can Handle the Truth** can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/58 "2007-07-21T17:14:55Z")
I carry no weight here, and I have no children, but I do not understand why there is a problem with the OP. The teacher is clearly not angling for monetary gain. They just want the kids and the parents to feel good about something. Good grief, if a kid splashes paint on a board and calls it art, her parent may feel proud, and who are you to say they are being swindled? If they start charging the kids for royalties then you may have a beef. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/59 "2007-07-24T12:55:11Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > That’s what needs to be pitted, not the few generous people in this world who actually give a damn about our kids. Since when do the lying scum who practice ‘facilitated communication’ care about anything other than their own profits? If these ‘teachers’ being pitted had any humanity at all, they would cease trying to pass off the art they created as the work of the children they are paid to help. (That is, if the sudden shock of self-awareness doesn’t drive the scammers to suicide out of pure shame.) Anyone who practices ‘facilitated communication’ should be put out of everyone’s misery. ---
**Author:** ![stegon66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stegon66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stegon66)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2007, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158/60 "2007-07-24T13:37:19Z")
> [@](#): > > The OP clearly has a problem with money being spent on these sub-human things, and is hiding it behind false empathy for the parents. Pretty despicable if you ask me. Pretty RETARDED. Many people here seem to share this sentiment. If we were talking about someone who was braindead and on a respirator, I have to wonder how many of these very same people would be saying that someone should be taken off the machine? Hey, if these kids really are as bad off as the OP states, that is, they are totally unresponsive to stimuli and show no signs of self awareness, then what’s the point in keeping them alive? Even with outside help these kids would be/are a huge emotional and financial drain on the parents. I know that sounds cruel and inhumane, and it saddens me that I even thought of it, but there’s a downside to everything, even the “right to life.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-scam-parents-of-s-pmh-kids/412158.md?page=4)