Page 6 - Fall River Area News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

FALL RIVER — State Rep. Alan Silvia wants police officers as well as teacher aides in elementary and secondary schools to be better equipped in dealing with autistic children and adults. “It’s very important that paraprofessionals are trained to deal with autistic kids,” Silvia said referring to certified teacher aides. The 7th Bristol state rep also says police departments everywhere owe it to themselves and the public to require that academy recruits be given in-service training in how to interact with people diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. “Police lack mental health di...

Parents like Martinez say having even some in-person learning has been a lifesaver. But, it’s not perfect, and some parents are growing increasingly frustrated. Anthony Smith, a Fall River resident who described his 13-year-old son as “severely handicapped,” said four days of in-person learning is far better than none, but still not enough. He wishes the district would let its highest-need special education students spend five days a week in in-person classes. His son is given to outbursts and would likely destroy a computer, making remote school work impossible, he said.  “He has me...