5 Damaging Myths About Autism That Teachers Still Believe (From an Autistic Teacher)

What do teachers really know about autism — and how much of it is actually wrong? In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner — a 16-year classroom veteran and AuDHD educator — breaks down five of the most damaging and persistent myths about autism that still circulate in schools and explains why they cause real harm to autistic students.Drawing on research, years of teaching experience, and her own journey as a late-diagnosed autistic person, Amanda shares how these myths shaped her own school experience as both a student and a teacher — and what educators can do differently starting now.The 5 myths covered in this episode:Myth 1: Autistic people don't feel emotions or lack empathy. Amanda explains why autistic people often feel emotions more intensely, not less, and how flat affect and differences in eye contact are misread as coldness or disinterest.Myth 2: All autistic people are the same, and you can spot autism easily. The truth about masking, why girls and women are underdiagnosed, and why the DSM-5 criteria were built on studies of white boys.Myth 3: Autistic people lack intelligence. Why autism and IQ are completely separate, what twice-exceptional means, and how standardized tests can fail autistic students — including Amanda's own experience with the SAT.Myth 4: Autistic people need to be fixed or made "normal." A candid look at ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis), why stimming is self-regulation and not misbehavior, and why forcing conformity does more harm than good.Myth 5: Autistic people don't want friends or prefer to be alone. The difference between not wanting connection and struggling with how to connect, the loneliness epidemic among autistic people, and how teachers can support social connection through structured opportunities and parallel play.Key takeaways for teachers: presume competence, don't force eye contact, allow stimming that isn't harmful, check in on quiet or withdrawn students, teach all students about different communication styles, and shift from fixing to supporting.If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a fellow educator. Resources for teaching students about autism and neurodiversity are linked in the show notes.