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Thieves Steal Computers From School For Students With Autism

Bridgeway House

Teachers and staff of Bridgeway House, a center for children and families affected by autism, made a distressing discovery Wednesday. The school was robbed. Thieves stole dozens of computers crucial to the instruction of students on the autistic spectrum.

Just one week before school is to start, someone used a putty knife to break into the Brideway House in the rural camp creek community. They took what was most valuable—computers and iPads containing expensive apps. Executive Director Patricia Wigney:

“The most shocking and hardest part for me to understand is, most people in the community know what Bridgeway House is, says Wigney.”  “To take technology away from these students—some of them can’t even speak. These are their tools for communication. It breaks my heart.”

Bridgeway House serves students from Kindergarten through 21 years old who are affected by autism. Wigney says community members have expressed outrage over the robbery. And teachers are scrambling to prepare for the start of classes. Supporters of the school are asking for donations of equipment or cash to replace what was stolen.

Tiffany joined the KLCC News team in 2007. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia and worked in a variety of media including television, technical writing, photography and daily print news before moving to the Pacific Northwest.
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