cmuir Report post Posted May 23, 2006 Hi Update from Katie Grant, see: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2188147.html I sent the editor a straight-talking email about the original feature. It was strongly worded. A colleague of mine has just advised me that my comments were published. Fantastic! Just shows it pays to complain and that sometimes you do get heard. Caroline Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PinkSapphireAngel Report post Posted May 23, 2006 I have just recieved a reply from the editor (I got no reply from my email re the first article)... Thank you for writing to the Sunday Times. I am sorry you have been upset by Katie Grant's article about autism statistics in Scotland. Opinion pieces such as this are designed to be challenging, but when they touch on such emotive or controversial subjects inevitably some readers can find them hard to bear. I would, however, defend Katie's efforts. She wished to express her genuine scepticism about the huge rise in reported cases of autistic spectrum disorder in Scotland. But in doing so she went to some lengths to distinguish between parents whose children "really are on the autistic spectrum" and those whose children were not, yet who might be included in the latest figures. Her sympathy for the parents of autistic children was apparent in the piece, and I know from talking to her that she regrets any distress which has been caused. You might be interested to know that we have received a number of other letters on this subject. We hope to feature some of them in our features section this Sunday. Yours sincerely, Mike Wade Ecosse Editor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Report post Posted May 23, 2006 She still doesn't get it does she? If the article had been well researched and written by someone with knowledge about the spectrum, no-one would have been "distressed". We're all pigged off because it's pretty much wholly inaccurate codswallop! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheNeil Report post Posted May 23, 2006 She still doesn't get it does she? If the article had been well researched and written by someone with knowledge about the spectrum, no-one would have been "distressed". We're all pigged off because it's pretty much wholly inaccurate codswallop! Exactly. She's written this (original) article wanting a load of plaudits and people agreeing with her and then there's been a backlash. So she follows it up by implying that we all don't understand what she meant and that she's still right. Never once has she mentioned any evidence, research, quotes, expert sources etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmuir Report post Posted May 23, 2006 Hi Katie Grant makes reference in her follow-up article saying 'Unfortunately, this past week I have become something of a hate figure'. She can't have it both ways! She talks about freedom of speech, but is clearly miffed that she's been something of a hate figure. When you express an opinion about a subject which is likely to cause controversy then of course you're going to p**s a few people off ? especially when you haven't a clue what you're talking about! C. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PinkSapphireAngel Report post Posted May 23, 2006 I have emailed the editor back trying to explain this myself and saying if they want to do something positive why don't they actually help raise awareness of a condition people still do not know enough about as Ms Grant has proven so well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lucas Report post Posted May 23, 2006 For one, her 'lengths to distinguish between parents with children who really are on the autistic spectrum and those who are not' are in fact totally inadequate. She did NOT in fact make any distinction between them at all. She gave ignoramouses the perfect excuse to publicly chasitise parents and then claim 'your kids are just bratty, not autistic' without an accompanied example of how you tell the difference between a brat and an Autistic child. I do not agree with those pushing an 'Autism epidemic' but I find equally distasteful indefensible and unfounded speculation that a large or even a minority(even calling it 'miniscule' would make it out to be too big a number) of diagnoses are not genuine. Genuine scepticism requires application of logic and statements of probable fact founded on evidence: the said article is just a load of bitchiness. Obnoxious bitchiness is not skepticism. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curra Report post Posted May 24, 2006 I have just recieved a reply from the editor (I got no reply from my email re the first article)... Thank you for writing to the Sunday Times. I am sorry you have been upset by Katie Grant's article about autism statistics in Scotland. Opinion pieces such as this are designed to be challenging, but when they touch on such emotive or controversial subjects inevitably some readers can find them hard to bear. I would, however, defend Katie's efforts. She wished to express her genuine scepticism about the huge rise in reported cases of autistic spectrum disorder in Scotland. But in doing so she went to some lengths to distinguish between parents whose children "really are on the autistic spectrum" and those whose children were not, yet who might be included in the latest figures. Her sympathy for the parents of autistic children was apparent in the piece, and I know from talking to her that she regrets any distress which has been caused. You might be interested to know that we have received a number of other letters on this subject. We hope to feature some of them in our features section this Sunday. Yours sincerely, Mike Wade Ecosse Editor I would call Katie Grant's article a good example of bad journalism. So anyone can write whatever they want without any evidence and go to "some length" just to be "challenging"? If she is really concerned about it, she should have provided reliable statistic, interviews with health professionals and avoid offensive assumptions such as that parents pretend their children are autistic to get DLA! I also find it amazing that the Editor apologises for her upseting article but she doesn't! Curra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kirstie Report post Posted May 28, 2006 ....PLEEEEEEESE F**K OFF............noogsy Couldn't have put it better myself!! What an ignorant b***h! As for the Editor backing her up it's outrageous! She wanted a reaction and didn't care how she got it. It's disgusting. A fashionable label...... f@*!*@g moron!!!! Why don't we all get together with the kids and invite her round for tea????? Let her babysit for a while and see what she has to say then. AAAAARRRGHHHHHHHH! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
