On Sunday, July 6, 2019 Indiana University Senior Lecturer Claire Nisonger allegedly used hate speech toward a neurodiverse McDonald's cashier in front of several witnesses, including two witnesses who have videotaped the aftermath of her verbal abuse towards him. She reportedly called the neurodiverse cashier a "stupid retard" and then used the word "retard" again to describe another neurodiverse individual that was in line behind her. She also allegedly said that, "people like that shouldn't be allowed in public, much less operating a cash register." She then apparently physically assaulted one of the witnesses who was videotaping her and demanded that she delete her video. Nisonger was easily ID'ed from the IU website afterwards because she had told onlookers at the McDonald's that she was an "IU Professor" when they suggested she needs to educate herself better about these issues.

The two separately filmed videos and the firsthand account of events is available at: https://www.facebook.com/christy.fieldsroux/posts/10219381420384095

The IU Neurodiversity Coalition is made of IU Bloomington students, faculty, staff and community members who support initiatives to make our campus and community (Bloomington) more inclusive of the rights and needs of IU students with neurodiverse brain function. The term neurodiversity includes individuals who self-identify or have been medically diagnosed with autism/ASD, dyslexia, ADHD, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome and others, estimated to be 20-22% of the world population. The neurodiversity movement is an international civil rights movement that promotes awareness, education, and support systems for neurodiverse individuals. Follow us at: https://www.facebook.com/iundc/.

The IU NDC and the signatories below respectfully ask Indiana University to take the following actions:

1. Fully investigate these events as much as possible to determine all the facts. IU NDC is also investigating this incident.
2. Issue a statement by the University on the value that neurodiverse individuals bring to our campus and our community.
3. Ensure that no neurodiverse IU students will be subjected to abuse by Ms. Nisonger by immediately removing her from all interactions with IU students and taking all necessary measures to ensure that any future interactions Ms. Nisonger may have with IU students will not include hate speech or abuse toward neurodiverse people.

Signed,