First hour: Atheism and politics
Second hour: Disparities in autism diagnosis and treatment
Polling shows that the number of Americans who self-identify as non-religious is rising. But many atheists say this is actually a difficult time for them in this country. That’s because lawmakers who cite deeply religious backgrounds often set policy. The Supreme Court is just the latest front in those battles. We will discuss it with a panel of non-religious people and leaders. In studio:
- Carol Hope, organizer for Secular Humanists of Rochester
- Linda Stephens, member of the Atheist Community of Rochester, and atheist plaintiff in the Town of Greece v. Galloway Supreme Court case
- Tony Karakashian, cyber security specialist, and skeptic
- Dan Courtney, co-founder of Young Skeptics, and an atheist activist
- John Morreall, author, and professor emeritus of religious studies at the College of William and Mary
Then in our second hour, we discuss disparities in autism diagnosis and treatment. The death of Trevyan Rowe has pushed the Golisano Autism Center to speed up plans to provide some services to families of children with autism in the City of Rochester. According to the CDC, about 1 in 59 children has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the percentage of autism among African American and Hispanic children is nearing the percentage in white children. But African American and Hispanic children are less likely to receive ASD diagnoses and intervention services. Why? Studies point to a number of factors, including parent education, difficulty navigating the medical system, cultural barriers, and more. We’ll talk to the team at the Golisano Autism Center about how they hope to reduce those gaps in the near future. In studio:
- Rachel Rosner, director of education and support for AutismUp
- Mary Boatfield, board president for the Golisano Autism Center
- Melissa Parrish, family navigator for the Golisano Autism Center, and AutismUp employee
- Suzannah Iadarola, Ph.D., pediatric psychologist at Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong
