Ahead of Iowa Caucus, 9-Year-Old Questions Candidates About Autism Advocacy
EmailAs reporters and candidates canvas the Hawkeye State, one boy has been scouring Iowa to ask Republicans what they would do to help children with learning disabilities.
Nine-year-old Sam Wessels has stood up before the presidential hopefuls time and again this election season. In five YouTube videos with five different candidates, Wessels identifies himself as having autism and asks what each candidate would do as president to help children with special needs.
“My name is Sam Wessels. I’m 9. Here is my question,” says Wessels, dressed in a navy blue sweater and sporting a Rick Santorum sticker in the most recent video. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that one in five American children has a learning disability today. Mine is autism. What is happening to America’s most precious resource, her children? And what do you plan to do about it? Thank you.”
Wessels started his involvement in politics back in 2008, when at age 5, he addressed politicians, including Sen. John McCain, according to Wessel’s mother, Lin. His presentation won his mom a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with McCain about autism advocacy.
Sam and his mom hit the road again this July, starting with former presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty. Their mission, to meet those in the race for the Republican nomination, heated up in the past five days, Lin Wessels said. She said they traveled no more than 50 miles for the events. The only contenders they missed were Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman.
Each candidate had a unique response to Sam’s question.
Ron Paul said providing more individual liberty, and less government intervention, would solve the problem. Mitt Romney blamed Capitol Hill’s playing politics for shortchanging science, but he reassured the crowd that that didn’t mean he would increase spending and handouts. Santorum advocated putting education in the hands of the states and out of the federal government. Newt Gingrich heaped praise on Wessels but somewhat skirted the question, saying that science would find the answer without saying how. Michele Bachmann said the country needs to reform spending to make more resources available for helping children like Sam.
His mother said they would be happy to meet with President Obama as well, but they have not had the opportunity.
In addition to traveling with her son to the events, Lin Wessels tweets links to his videos and posts them on Facebook. Her Twitter icon has the words “MOMMY ON A MISSION” over a ribbon made of puzzle pieces, a symbol associated with autism advocacy.
Lin said she had a wide network of followers on Twitter and Facebook who were mostly relatives of people with autism.
“They know that Sam’s out there speaking for their kids that have no voice,” Lin said. “He’s giving a voice to the voiceless.”
Tonight Lin Wessels will head out to the caucus in her rural Iowa town – and she’ll bring Sam with her.
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I am a parent of 2 toddlers with autism. We have been watching Sam and we are so proud of him. He is an inspiration and he gives our family hope for the future. Thank you to the Wessels for helping to give my children a voice.
Posted by: G.Provost | January 4, 2012, 7:18 am 7:18 am
Amazing! This is very similar to what my son has recently asked if he could do. I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I wasn’t sure if it was even possible for a boy of 8 years old (almost 9) to have a voice in the political realm. He was recently very upset because his biological dad, who will only accept him without the acknowledgement of autism, has started on a campaign to have any and all services removed, thus having the “label” of autism removed. My son has been receving intervention services since the age of 14 months and is now very high functioning. My son’s annual IEP meeting was just last month, and being aware that his dad was attending and asking for the removal of the IEP, he asked to attend the meeting because it was “his life and the school promised to not let my dad bully them like he did my last school”. As we entered the meeting, confident that the school would certainly support him and his educational needs, the table of people erupted in disagreement that he should be allowed in the meeting. They physically removed him when he wouldn’t leave, and violated 34 CFR 300.321. I kept standing up for my son saying he had all right to be there, until finally they said they would bring him back after the assessments review to join us as we decided what his current needs are. They lied and as soon as the assessments were over, they stated that they were all in agreement, except mom, that he no longer qualified for an IEP. This is the team’s decision. The end. I felt horrible and my son felt even worse. “They all just gived right up on me”. His latest solution was to visit the president and ask for his help because “he is the only person my dad will listen to.” I have always tried to teach him to self advocate, and although we can’t get support locally, and I have always told him to never give up, maybe I should support his desire to speak with the president. Although it may never happen, he may feel empowered by meeting with other politicians in an effort to have someone step up to the plate and support his rights as an individual. We have embraced his autism, and so has he. We have taught him to love himself just the way he is, because autism is a part of what makes him unique. I am unsure how to even go about helping him with this, but I have never given up on him and never will.
Posted by: Melody | January 21, 2012, 10:59 am 10:59 am