What School Really Did To Me As An Autistic Child

The Reality Of Mainstream Education For Neurodivergent Children

School is a difficult place for Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent children. Even for those of us that find success, it can often feel like a trial by fire that sets the stage for a life of unreasonable expectations of ourselves and chronic Autistic burnout. In a previous piece I talked about some important neuroaffirming theory to guide educators on supporting their Autistic students. In this piece, I want to try and bridge the empathy divide and give a first hand account of what school was like for me, and how it contributed to a lifetime of mental health issues. This article forms part of my wider newsletter on Supporting Autistic people and is available in full for paid subscribers.