#autisticwhileblack

Unknown dates: Iris Allen, a Black, autistic student, enrolls at Hampshire College. Prior to enrolling he is a homeless youth who suffered abuse and trauma, and no longer has contact with or support from any family. We know that Iris is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. We do not currently know if he has any other diagnoses. When Iris approaches administrators for assistance, there is a lack of understanding for his situation. Iris is prescribed medications to help with his symptoms (unsure if by a physician outside of the college or by the college health service).

Iris goes to the health service to obtain medication and has a meltdown when someone asks him to turn down his music (autistic people often listen to music as a self-regulation/stimulation aid). Someone at the clinic claims they do not believe he has autism and makes him get re-diagnosed in order to access medications. According to Iris’ friend this process took nearly 2 weeks.

Iris has multiple ‘outbursts’ (also classified as ‘panic attacks’ but more than likely autistic meltdowns) at school. This has been corroborated by friends and classmates. The specific details have not been clarified, but some of the media has said that these incidents included ‘threats’. At some point after these incidents, Iris’ conduct board gives notice of a disciplinary hearing to be held on December 11th.

Friday, December 8: Video of Iris being forcibly removed from his dorm by security was uploaded to several sites.[cw: mention of rape]

Posted on FB by friend Cameron Prata: https://www.facebook.com/cameron.prata/posts/1741567165855548

Vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/246547488

YouTube link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=K_CU84hnDqc

“Iris Allen (pronoun: he), a black autistic music student from Hampshire College has been suspended (without a hearing from the school board) and forced into homelessness in the near subzero weather the night before a massive snowstorm in western MA. The decision to suspend Iris was made due to a recent infraction (an outburst triggered by his autism which has been greatly underwhelmed, neglected and condescended to by our schools administration). Before coming to Hampshire, Iris was a homeless resident of Boston and currently has nowhere to turn upon leaving campus. They have no family or parents, and are traumatized by the idea of being homeless in an unfamiliar town. In this video, he is being monitored by two campus police officers and is surrounded by a devastated circle of friends who are being forced to witness Iris’s expulsion into homelessness yet again. They’ve provided him with a cab to a nearby town where he will be forced to wait on the streets until his conduct hearing Monday afternoon where his fate as a Hampshire student has yet to be determined. Please share this video in the hope that we can seek justice for Iris and spread awareness of how Hampshire College is treating it’s marginalized and defenseless student. Thank you for watching, and FREE IRIS! #hampshirecollege #irisallen #freeiris”

TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO (courtesy of FB user Lulu N Appa, in comments on the above referenced post): 

“IRIS: I had a great day today, I talked to all my friends; however, I had to go and talk to Greg He told me that I would be having a meeting about the upcoming hearing that would be happening on Monday. Unbeknownst to me, I was suspended. So here we are (if you will Cam show) with everybody here, including the campus police kicking me out without a hearing. A black autistic female student who’s made strides to change her behavior. I come from one of 9, very poor and abused, and yes I’ve developed social habits that aren’t acceptable;however I do have autism and this school overlooked it. I got in trouble enough for them to kick me out, them fully knowing, like Greg and Pam Tinto, that I don’t have a place to live. And they are able to provide me with a taxi to go towards north hampton. But they are going to drop me off and that will be the end. I’m going to be homeless again, for the third time in my life. My young life. 24. That’s all I have to say. I hope that when you guys all see this that I’m not dead. Because who knows? The school certainly doesn’t give a fuck. (sniffling in the background) I mean, if Cam doesn’t show all this footage, it will be an injustice. It will be an injustice to my death. I love you all. I love you guys.

VOICE IN BACKGROUND: That’s fucked up…

IRIS (addressing police): I’m not making any threats. But I will take this to the media! Because I have no choice. I’m not making any threats. I’m just saying that to the officer because she said I was threatening; however I’m not, I promise you. Because I’m the one who’s suffering Take a note that she’s rolling her eyes.

POLICE OFFICER: I did not roll my eyes. I was looking over there.

IRIS: That was my interpretation of it. Thank you Cam (camera points to officers smiling) (Unintelligible background conversation)

IRIS: It’s here? Well alright…

FRIENDs: Well we love you (lots of crying, hugs, sniffling)

FRIEND: It’s gonna be ok, it’s gonna be ok.

IRIS: Everybody lied to me. Greg did. I was supposed to have a meeting with Amy Parker. WITH AMY PARKER! No hearing. I just got thrown out. And there I was, thinking, ”I haven’t even eaten dinner”. Now I don’t even know where I’m sleeping tonight. In a homeless shelter where i could get raped? In a place where I’ve never been homeless before.

FRIEND: (Unintelligible talking)

IRIS: “Let’s kick her out! Let’s get her! Throw her in the field! Fuck her!” (Pacing sniffling, crying)

ANOTHER FRIEND: I’m so sorry!

IRIS: (Crying) They lied to me. They- they looked right in my face and lied to me! But all they can provide me with is a taxi, to set me on my way. (sniffs loudly) It doesn’t matter because I don’t matter. (Police walkie talkie chatter) IRIS: I didn’t even get a chance to eat dinner.”

Saturday, December 9: A YouCaring fundraiser was established for Iris to ensure he would be able to hire a third-party advocate for his hearing: https://www.youcaring.com/irisallen-1039410

Sunday, December 10th: A Facebook event was created for a rally at the time of Iris’ hearing on the 11th at Hampshire College: https://www.facebook.com/events/1157729927695106/?ti=icl

A public Facebook group was also created for the exchange of information and ideas: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1522737504483336

Monday, December 11th: Iris’ hearing takes place. Although the YouCaring fundraiser was successful in raising funding for a third-party advocate, one was not located in time for this hearing.

Cameron Prata posted that Iris was denied further access to campus at his hearing: https://www.facebook.com/cameron.prata/posts/1744179032261028

“IRIS ALLEN WAS DENIED. STILL CONSIDERED A THREAT. WE NEED TO MOBILIZE ON THE HAMPSHIRE CAMPUS! #freeiris”

Friend of Iris, Rejjia Camphor posted details on the suspension: https://www.facebook.com/rejjia.camphor/posts/1703237176407064

“Iris is still being suspended and seen as a threat to the Hampshire college community. They are not allowing him to stay on campus, he cannot access his room and he cannot participate in his ensemble performance.”

On Monday evening Hampshire College sent a ‘Campus Threat Alert’ email to students: https://www.facebook.com/cameron.prata/posts/1744455625566702

While it did not mention Iris by name it was obvious that additional security and law enforcement were called to campus in response to the rally and Iris’ hearing.

Transcript of email:

“Campus Threat Alert

Submitted by: Beth Ward

Because a threat was made to members of our campus community, you will see an increased presence of law enforcement on campus.  

We take these threats and the safety of everyone at Hampshire very seriously. We expect all members of our campus  to contribute to ensuring an environment that is safe from threats or harm to each other.  Individuals who represent a threat to the safety of the campus are not allowed on campus except under limited circumstances as detailed in our student handbook.

The safety of our campus is of top concern, and we are taking all appropriate efforts to ensure the welfare of students, faculty and staff.  If you have concerns about this alert or if you witness safety issues, please call campus police at 413-559-5424 or ext 5424 from a campus phone.

We understand that some students are upset about actions taken by the college in recent days, but the College makes all appropriate efforts to support and otherwise provide resources to students who need assistance.  The College has a process for handling these matters, which involves giving due consideration to all parties concerned.  No decisions are made without providing hearings and other protections built into the College’s policies and procedures.

Hampshire College has an obligation under federal law to protect the privacy of our students, which bars us from providing any additional details about student cases involving complaints, conduct hearings or resulting discipline.  At the same time, the College has a larger obligation to ensure the safety of our community and is acting on that obligation through this communication to campus and the precautions we’re taking across campus.

Gloria Lopez

Dean of Students”

Tuesday December 12: Iris posted in the group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1522737504483336/permalink/1524157817674638/

“There is another meeting today for them.to discuss thier [sic] findings with me I strongly suggest we rally again”

During this meeting, Iris’ conduct board extended his suspension to the spring semester. Iris was forced from campus by 3 police officers into an unmarked car to be taken away from campus: https://www.facebook.com/cameron.prata/posts/1745169648828633

“At approximately 10:43 a.m, on December 12, 2017, after his hearing Iris Allen was escorted off campus, by police and taken to an unknown location as they would not tell Iris or his supporters where they were taking him.”

Later that evening, Official update and statement from Cameron and Iris: https://www.facebook.com/cameron.prata/posts/1745439202135011

“After attending yet another conduct hearing at Hampshire College today, December 12th, Iris Allen’s suspension was extended to the entire spring semester. As of now, Iris’ safety is not secure, and he is indefinitely homeless. Despite being both non-threatening and compliant, three police officers were present inside the meeting. After having his suspension extended, he was physically and forcibly placed in an unmarked police vehicle by 3 police officers who refused to tell Iris or his supporters where he was being taken.

He was soon after dropped off at a local McDonald’s in Northhampton, MA (with no explanation as to why this location was chosen) by the three police officers. Though Iris has been able to find shelter for the night, he remains under extreme duress regarding his circumstance. We contacted him via video call and he has provided the following a statement on recent events.”

Transcript of Iris’ video statement: https://www.facebook.com/cameron.prata/posts/1745457768799821

“So, I can’t be there with the rest of my peers today because I was forcibly removed from the campus and thrown into a car. They have no place to take me so they dropped me off at the local McDonald’s in Northhampton. I am still being harassed by the administration who will not tell me what’s going [on]. They put me in danger, because I have been homeless--I am dirty, I am hungry, and I don’t have food. I and I just--all I want is to go back to class. Please. I just want to go to my dorm.”

Wednesday December 13th: 2 articles were posted by two different websites about the situation. The first article from Inside Higher Ed gave concise and respectful details about Iris’ suspension: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/12/13/supporters-say-student-was-unfairly-suspended-hampshire-college-because-his-autism

The second article was posted on Turtle Boy Sports, a right-wing reactionary website, and makes several questionable claims with no evidence to back them up about Iris’ panic attacks. The article is extremely transphobic and greatly misrepresents the situation, most likely to sensationalize the story for alt-right trolls to use. I am including this for transparency but using DoNotLink so as not to give them any page traffic: https://donotlink.it/V2lN

END OF TIMELINE.

As of this afternoon there are no further updates from Hampshire or Iris. Iris is currently safe with a friend. Please signal boost this post so that the facts can be circulated as we are now aware of media coverage that has misrepresented the details and made false claims in order to discredit Iris. As far as is known, IRIS HAS NEVER BEEN A THREAT TO HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE. Any meltdowns and panic attacks they had, any any statements made during them, were made under extreme duress at the hands of a college administration that seems to have systematically denied Iris access to both accommodations to ensure his academic and social success as well as his medication.