Why do so many misconceptions about autism still persist in our schools — even as we know more about autism than ever before? The answer is buried in history. In Part 1 of a multi-part series on the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner breaks down the riveting and heartbreaking history of how autism was first identified, researched, and defined — and how decisions made almost a century ago still shape how teachers see autistic students today.Drawing from Steve Silberman's landmark book NeuroTribes, Amanda traces the story of two researchers who defined autism in profoundly different ways — and explains why the broader, more humane vision was suppressed for over 50 years while the narrow, deficit-focused model became the foundation of everything we were taught.Content warning: This episode discusses eugenics, the Nazi regime's targeting of disabled children, and other emotionally difficult topics. Please listen when you feel ready.In this episode, you'll learn:The story of the Rosa family in Silicon Valley — and how their journey with their autistic son Leo reflects what so many families still experience navigating the school and mental health systems todaySteve Silberman's investigation into the "geek syndrome" in Silicon Valley: the pattern of brilliant, driven tech workers having children diagnosed with autismHans Asperger's clinic in 1930s Vienna: a remarkably progressive, strengths-based approach to autistic children that was decades ahead of its timeSister Victorine Zak: the forgotten nun who developed individualized, strengths-based educational methods for autistic children nearly a century agoHow Asperger saw autism as a broad spectrum — including both non-verbal children with high support needs and highly verbal, gifted children — and why that view was lostGeorge Frankl and Annie Weiss: the Jewish clinicians who escaped the Nazis with the help of Leo Kanner at Johns Hopkins — and brought Asperger's knowledge with themLeo Kanner's 1943 paper that defined autism as rare, severe, and devastating — a narrow framework that dominated for decades and led to generations of undiagnosed and misdiagnosed childrenThe "refrigerator mother" theory: how parent-blaming became embedded in autism research and the lasting damage it causedHow Kanner suppressed Asperger's broader framework — and why the deficit model won out over the strengths-based model in American children's psychiatryWhy this history still matters in your classroom today: when we see students as "too verbal" or "too social" to be autistic, that's Kanner's legacy at workBook discussed:NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve SilbermanStay tuned for Part 2, where Amanda will cover the history of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) and the harmful interventions that grew out of this narrow framework.If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a teacher, parent, or anyone who wants to understand how we got here — so we can do better.