It really upset me to be honest. My own son has autism and it worried me that the teacher's disgusting behaviour and attitude towards the poor girl was 'the norm'. Like she was some sort of freak or something. It was the teacher's bullying and aggressive behaviour of the girl that was the problem but it was barely mentioned. There was no come back on him at all - no teacher should ever treat any pupil like that. It's also going to give some of the viewing public completely the wrong idea about children with special needs. I wonder if it's a continuing storyline because I'd be deeply saddened if it was left like that.
I share your frustration, especially with how Karla's story compares with the completely different portrayal of Asperger's through Martin's story in Grange Hill. Martin was always sympathetically portrayed and his classmates accepted him, his teachers were very caring, and Martin ended up becoming one of the most popular Grange Hill characters in recent times.
Waterloo Road's approach is a gunboat one by contrast - presenting Karla as a source of dramatic conflict and a troublemaker. For the so-called head of pastoral care to call her a "fruit-loop" is completely unacceptable.
As I type, there are signs of a turnaround however - the grumpy old English teacher challenged by Karla's classmates when he refuses to let her answer one of the questions in a class debate. There is no place for such dinosaurs in the classroom, but hey, this is a prime time show and it has to get ratings where the Grange Hill approach might not.
I'm afraid I howled with laughter (as I frequently do when watching this show) when Grantly stormed into the staffroom and called an ad hoc strike. It would just never, ever happen!! As fantasy, 'Waterloo Road' is quite entertaining, but don't look for any trace of reality in it! (I'm an English Secondary school teacher, by the way.) :rolleyes:
Oh dear, I spotted several grammatical mistakes in your comment and I think you mean a Secondary school English teacher. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
I know :rolleyes: But still, it's uncomfortable viewing as I know people who have suffered like she has. Though they were treated much better by staff at my school.
I know :rolleyes: But still, it's uncomfortable viewing as I know people who have suffered like she has. Though they were treated much better by staff at my school.
But this does happen and its the point they are trying to illustrate. Although they were treated well at your school, they might not get treated so well at others. Even though it is uncomfortable, it will raise awareness and it will all turn around by the end of it. It wouldn't have the same effect if she was being treated as a princess.
I'm disgusted by the way that Karla is being portrayed :mad:
Er, it's a dramatic device so that the writers can demonstrate how Steph is not up to the job in Pastoral Care, and how ill-prepared the rest of the staff are (with a couple of exceptions) due to Jack's decisions on not getting the proper funding and resources in place, and not ensuring that ALL staff were fully briefed.
Brilliant! Plus, it's nice to see Lewis and Karla's relationship, shows he's not just a one trick pony! Great idea!
Apologies if this has already been said but when did Lewis get his personality transplant? Surely they wouldn't let him work at the school considering his family were selling drugs outside last season (which led to Izzie's death) and he tried to kill Rimmer once!
This Asperger's storyline is a complete DISASTER for real kids with Aspergers. I know quite a bit about Asperger's and I know lots of kids who have it. And I'd like to say whoever wrote this drivel should really be ashamed for not bothering to research it properly before they portray thousands of bright, sensitive kids as aggressive, medicated morons. Absolutely IRRESPONSIBLE NONSENSE!
To begin with they couldn't even manage to get the actors to pronounce it properly. Hans Asperger was an Austrian paediatrician - Ask any Austrian and they will tell you it's pronounced with a hard g.
I don't know a single kid with Asperger's who is on medication. I'm sure there are some somewhere but it's hardly typical. Why just make that up? Why not talk to real special needs co-ordinators in real schools? Or anyone really with any experience would have been something.
I could go on and on and on but I won't.
The makers of this show should be whole-heartedly ASHAMED for using a sensational storyline, purely to get viewing figures up, at the expense of thousands of kids who are in real schools and already have quite a bit to deal with. If they'd bothered to research this at all they could have helped educate people. JUST PATHETIC.
The makers of this show should be whole-heartedly ASHAMED for using a sensational storyline, purely to get viewing figures up,
1) I don't see it as a sensational storyline
2) I don't see any evidence that the writers wish to use a sensational storyline in order to increase viewing figures.
And from a perspective of someone who knew little about Aspergers before Waterloo Road, I am gaining an appreciation of the condition (from the positive comments from the staff, rather than the negative comments from Steph).
Loving this series, Davina is great, Jack looks sexier every episode and Jessica Baglow as Karla is turning in great performances. Neil Morrisey also a welcome cast addition.
2) I don't see any evidence that the writers wish to use a sensational storyline in order to increase viewing figures.
And from a perspective of someone who knew little about Aspergers before Waterloo Road, I am gaining an appreciation of the condition (from the positive comments from the staff, rather than the negative comments from Steph).
But it's hard to appreciate what Asperger's is about when their version of Asperger's bears very little resemblence to the real thing.
Your comment highlights my point perfectly. You now feel you're gaining an appreciation of Asperger's. Not so - you are being misled by people who seem to have spent 5 minutes googling Asperger's and who have then filled in the blanks with their own preconceived ideas of what a child with special needs is probably like.
Think about it. If you were a child with Asperger's struggling your way through secondary school how would you feel if the all the other kids suddenly have a completely false idea of what your condition is and what you are about? They have enough to cope with.
Program makers should have a responsibility to get it right if they want to run this sort of story. And the fact that people like yourselves believe what they see & now feel they have a better understanding of Asperger's is precisely why.
But it's hard to appreciate what Asperger's is about when their version of Asperger's bears very little resemblence to the real thing.
Your comment highlights my point perfectly. You now feel you're gaining an appreciation of Asperger's. Not so - you are being misled by people who seem to have spent 5 minutes googling Asperger's and who have then filled in the blanks with their own preconceived ideas of what a child with special needs is probably like.
Sorry, no offence but I don't watch Waterloo Road thinking that it is a documentary, I don't watch it thinking that I will become an expert of Aspergers or any other condition. I watch it because it is an interesting drama. If certain issues are pushed to heavily at the expense of the drama itself, I and I suspect many others, will simply stop watching.
BUT if watching it actually gives me more of an appreciation of it, and makes me think more about the condition or makes me want to know more then that is a positive thing. If it makes me want to look at some authoritative web references, again that must nbe a good thing.
And finally I spoke of "gaining an appreciation". This is NOT the same as "feeling that I know all about it". The clue is in the word gaining, and also the word appreciation. It does NOT indicate that I feel that I am an expert (sorry, but if I wanted to gain a fuller understanding or become an expert I would seek out some appropriate supporting courses or literature). Oh, and of course, there is always the support line mentioned at the end of the programme:
For more information about autism and Asperger syndrome and for help in your area, call The National Autistic Society Autism Helpline on: 0845 070 4004 10am-4pm, Monday to Friday, (local rates apply) or visit www.autism.org.uk
Comments
Waterloo Road's approach is a gunboat one by contrast - presenting Karla as a source of dramatic conflict and a troublemaker. For the so-called head of pastoral care to call her a "fruit-loop" is completely unacceptable.
As I type, there are signs of a turnaround however - the grumpy old English teacher challenged by Karla's classmates when he refuses to let her answer one of the questions in a class debate. There is no place for such dinosaurs in the classroom, but hey, this is a prime time show and it has to get ratings where the Grange Hill approach might not.
Oh dear, I spotted several grammatical mistakes in your comment and I think you mean a Secondary school English teacher. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Has he been in it before? WR I mean
Thats the whole point ...
first time ive seen him in this.
I know :rolleyes: But still, it's uncomfortable viewing as I know people who have suffered like she has. Though they were treated much better by staff at my school.
But this does happen and its the point they are trying to illustrate. Although they were treated well at your school, they might not get treated so well at others. Even though it is uncomfortable, it will raise awareness and it will all turn around by the end of it. It wouldn't have the same effect if she was being treated as a princess.
Haha I said the same thing. He was in Casualty a few weeks ago too!
Can't find a repeat , but if you have Sky or Virgin, then BBC 1 Scotland show Waterloo Road Sundays at 8pm. They are an episode ahead
seems they have found the invetion that is GHD.
My fav character is steph i love her she is so funny
"...kids these days, if it isn't glued down..."
"Are you looking for the asparagus girl?"
Brilliant! Plus, it's nice to see Lewis and Karla's relationship, shows he's not just a one trick pony! Great idea!
Apologies if this has already been said but when did Lewis get his personality transplant? Surely they wouldn't let him work at the school considering his family were selling drugs outside last season (which led to Izzie's death) and he tried to kill Rimmer once!
To begin with they couldn't even manage to get the actors to pronounce it properly. Hans Asperger was an Austrian paediatrician - Ask any Austrian and they will tell you it's pronounced with a hard g.
I don't know a single kid with Asperger's who is on medication. I'm sure there are some somewhere but it's hardly typical. Why just make that up? Why not talk to real special needs co-ordinators in real schools? Or anyone really with any experience would have been something.
I could go on and on and on but I won't.
The makers of this show should be whole-heartedly ASHAMED for using a sensational storyline, purely to get viewing figures up, at the expense of thousands of kids who are in real schools and already have quite a bit to deal with. If they'd bothered to research this at all they could have helped educate people. JUST PATHETIC.
2) I don't see any evidence that the writers wish to use a sensational storyline in order to increase viewing figures.
And from a perspective of someone who knew little about Aspergers before Waterloo Road, I am gaining an appreciation of the condition (from the positive comments from the staff, rather than the negative comments from Steph).
But it's hard to appreciate what Asperger's is about when their version of Asperger's bears very little resemblence to the real thing.
Your comment highlights my point perfectly. You now feel you're gaining an appreciation of Asperger's. Not so - you are being misled by people who seem to have spent 5 minutes googling Asperger's and who have then filled in the blanks with their own preconceived ideas of what a child with special needs is probably like.
Think about it. If you were a child with Asperger's struggling your way through secondary school how would you feel if the all the other kids suddenly have a completely false idea of what your condition is and what you are about? They have enough to cope with.
Program makers should have a responsibility to get it right if they want to run this sort of story. And the fact that people like yourselves believe what they see & now feel they have a better understanding of Asperger's is precisely why.
BUT if watching it actually gives me more of an appreciation of it, and makes me think more about the condition or makes me want to know more then that is a positive thing. If it makes me want to look at some authoritative web references, again that must nbe a good thing.
And finally I spoke of "gaining an appreciation". This is NOT the same as "feeling that I know all about it". The clue is in the word gaining, and also the word appreciation. It does NOT indicate that I feel that I am an expert (sorry, but if I wanted to gain a fuller understanding or become an expert I would seek out some appropriate supporting courses or literature). Oh, and of course, there is always the support line mentioned at the end of the programme: