Was I wrong for yelling at my autistic students?

[Anonymous]

Okay so we were doing a fun art project. The kids were asked who wait. I know kids don’t always listen but they need to beheld accountable. I’m sick of some of these Autism parents making excuse for their kids lack of boundaries and being a fool. I told some kids to stop touching the stuff. One little boy touched my phone and I firmly told him to get his hands off of my phone. It’s MINE. MINE. I didn’t go “Aw no touching my phone.” NO! That’s it going to prepare them for life. Then he kept touching my things there times and I yelled, “I said to NOT TOUCH IT! STOP!! You guys are awful when it comes to listening! Do NOT TOUCH! Gotta learn boundaries dude.” I pushed his hand away the third time he touched it. He stopped and looked sad but I don’t care. One of my coworkers is autistic and looked kind of hurt when I called him out (he’s her favorite) but bummer. I know teachers have a favorite but you gotta call them out too and they’re just like anyone else. I know she’s been tough on him too but she’s got to be tough. He was asked not to touch it. I tried to be nice, but I had to yell.
One of the ladies literally chewed me out for yelling at my autistic students but I told her they need to learn boundaries just like any other kid autistic or not. Autism does not give them a free ticket to be full or disrespect boundaries. Was I wrong?

Being a nice teacher and letting kids do what they want isn’t going to make them respect you.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

If you were in the right, you wouldn’t be posting this anonymously. You already know.

[Asker]

Look I just need an opinion. I didn’t want to yell but they didn’t listen so I had to get mean. No means No!

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Intentions don’t really matter in the face of your actions. You’re smart enough to know that

[DryGermanGuy]

Amazing storytelling, as usual! Great how you fleshed out these dialogues. But you should have added your ever-morphing body measurements, that we so love to read.

[Anonymous]

Please shut the absolute F—K up. All you do is lie and post these scenarios that DONT HAPPEN!! Leave us alone!!

[Asker]

This is no lie. This is the truth.

[Opinion Owner]

You’re a liar! You make up stories like this all the time. Is your life really that unexciting?

[AI Opinion]

Navigating classroom dynamics with autistic students requires patience and understanding. While maintaining boundaries is important, yelling might not be the most effective approach. It’s beneficial to use clear, calm communication and set consistent expectations. Autistic children often benefit from structured environments and visual or verbal cues. Reflect on the situation, consider how you could address similar challenges more constructively, and seek training or resources on autism support strategies. Building a positive, respectful classroom atmosphere can encourage more effective behavior management.