158 - Breaking the Pipeline - A Conversation with Dr. Deanna Westedt

FASD Hope

FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.

Episode 158 of FASD Hope explores a controversial topic: the School to Prison Pipeline (STPP). The STPP or SPP is the significantly increased tendency of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, students with brain-based diagnoses, developmental disabilities and BIPOC students to become involved in the juvenile justice system. In today's episode, discussing the STPP and it's implications for students with brain-based diagnoses (including FASD, Autism, ADHD, etc.) is Dr. Deanna Westedt.

Dr. Deanna Westedt received a doctorate in curriculum and instruction and spent 22 years in education. Currently, she homeschools and provides guidance for families, both homeschooled and traditionally schooled. She has a special passion for twice-exceptional students and providing learning that goes outside of a classroom box. Her insights into twice-exceptionality have been featured in publications and venues such as Psychology Today, Future First Education, and CABE. Dr. Westedt’s research was featured in AERA 2020. However, her best accomplishment is that of the growth her boys made during their time in homeschooling so far, where her ideas on how to accommodate their special combination of giftedness and learning disabilities paid off. She currently provides coaching and writing sessions, as well as specializes in early literacy that can be blended into any type of setting. Additionally, she provides parent sessions, diagnostics, and flexible differentiation training for homeschool/ educational organizations.

In this highly informative and thought-provoking episode, Dr. Westedt shares the following: her professional background, her family's journey, her passion for creating academic equity for all students, how she became aware of the STPP, how students with brain-based diagnoses (including FASD) become even more susceptible to getting involved in the STPP, addressing how the traditional cycle of discipline reinforces the STPP (especially for students with developmental disabilities & brain-based diagnoses), how a systemic shift is required to break this cycle, how to better support those students involved in the STPP / JJ systems and her words of hope for listeners.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." - Proverbs: 5-6

EPISODE RESOURCES -

Dr. Deanna Westedt - https://deannawestedt.com/

[e-mail]

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drwestedt

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.deannawestedt/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-westedt-ed-d-64a2741b1/

FASD Hope Resources -

https://www.fasdhope.com/

[e-mail]

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1

Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope

LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/

HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY ONLINE COMMUNITY - Co-Lead By Natalie Vecchione and Sandra Flach -

Hope for the FASD Journey is a faith-based, membership support community for parents and caregivers of individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol and other substances. Led by Natalie Vecchione of the FASD Hope Podcast and Sandra Flach of the Adoption & Foster Care Journey Podcast— 2 moms living the FASD experience. With more than 20 years of adoptive parenting each, Natalie & Sandra offer abundant knowledge and resources to provide hope to families on this journey. “

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE “HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY COMMUNITY” OR TO SIGN UP, VISIT THE BELOW LINK -

https://www.justicefororphansny.org/hope-community

Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy BUY IT NOW!