Glencoe News -

WINNETKA — Temple Grandin, an animal scientist and best-selling author, explained how “the world needs all kinds of minds,” last week at a Family Action Network (FAN) event called “Autism and My Sensory-Based World.”

The autism activist, who struggles with the condition herself, explained the importance of different types of thinkers to a full house of around 1,200 packed into the New Trier High School auditorium.

Grandin talked about the Fukushima power plant disaster. She said that those who designed the plant were “pattern thinkers,” as they are engineers and mathematicians. They made “a visual thinking mistake” because they did not protect the basement of the power plant with submarine doors that crank shut, even though it was very close to the ocean.

Those with certain types of autism, similar to Grandin’s type, could have offered this perspective. This is how they can contribute to the business world and find careers, she said.

“I think Business Week ought to be in every school library. I think we’ve got to be exposing kids to things where they can see cool careers… and read about stuff that can become careers. We’ve got to get a lot more focused on that,” said Grandin.

She encourages those with autism to develop specific skills and to make that a career. One boy told her on Wednesday that he wants to be a truck driver.

“That is just great,” she said, because there is a shortage of truck drivers, the job is not going to be outsourced, and there are not going to be any Google drivers. “Too much liability,” she said.

Grandin talked many times about “the importance of developing strengths and getting social interaction” for autistic children. Many children have specific interests that they can develop into lucrative careers if given the opportunity. These interests are also a way to find friends, she said.

For this reason, she criticized the Common Core as having “a narrow view of education,” and she is disappointed by schools that cut or eliminate subjects such as art, theater, and music.

“I’m seeing more and more kids not being exposed to these areas,” Grandin said. “How would you know if a career in theater is right for you without having that class in school?,” she asked.

She used her own story as an example. Grandin was exposed to cattle in high school. She is now a doctor of animal science and designer of livestock equipment.

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