is special ed bad

@shadowbonnie

You are not bad, you are just as good as anyone else!

And I'm sure, your art is great, don't ever let anyone make you feel less!

That is so sad. I wish people wouldn't insult you for your differences. Usually calling someone "special ed" is meant as an insult. Being in special ed classes is not a bad thing if you are getting the support you need in order to learn and thrive.

You can tell your friends that it bothers you when they criticize your artwork and insult you. They may be speaking from ignorance. Hopefully they are willing to be kinder and more understanding.

@jillovo

My cousin who graduated high school in 2010 was in special education for all 12 grades in elementary school, middle school and high school. She would always tell me in person or on the phone how much she hated it and couldn’t wait till those days ended.

She was so embarrassed about being in special education that she insisted that these conversations were always private and stay between her and me and that I never tell anyone in our family or her friends, a promise I’ve kept to this day to keep her as happy as I could. I asked her if I could share her story here and she said yes as long as I don’t share her name or age so that’s why I’m sharing it on here in this thread specifically bc it fits based on what the subject matter is about. 

According to her everyone in school throughout all 12 grades that knew she was in special education called her rude names or teased/laughed at her, and from the time she began middle school and graduated high school, along with saying those things she was also told she wasn’t smart. They also said that’s why she doesn’t have a boyfriend, a life, a job, will never get in a good college, etc.

As hurtful as all that was, she said that wasn’t the worst of her special education years. When I asked her what it was she admitted to not knowing what it’s like now but during her time in the special education system they (being the teachers, principals, etc) monitored the students and took notes along with having meetings with each other discussing what they monitored and their notes. Along with that, she wasn’t allowed to be awarded the valedictorian award despite her grades bc she was a special education student and wasn’t able to join any school sports teams or any after school clubs or activities during her time as a special education student. And during lunch at the school cafeteria special education students had their own table(s) separate from regular education students. And if that wasn’t enough, She hated all that. 

After getting into college she told me she doesn’t know how she lived and survived through those 12 years which she feels like the darkest years of her life and said she doesn’t think she would have without me. I said she’s not giving herself any credit, the main thing is that she did get through it and it’s all over for her now. 

Another thing is that as difficult as college and college life can be, people like my cousin say it’s even more difficult for them bc after all the years of being in special education and having a smaller class, their teachers teaching slowly, having all the support they got, and everything else that special education students have daily during their years in that system is suddenly gone once they enter college or get a job or anything else that happens in their lives after they’re out of the special education system. I’m not saying any of this to instill fear or anxiety or anything like that into any current or future special education students. I’m saying it so you know how post special education life is or was like depending on how things are done now. 

I believe my cousin, not bc she’s my cousin but bc I know her and she’s someone who’s been through all this by now so I believe everything she said is true. Maybe it’s different now from when she was in special education which she hopes any changes if there are any are good. Considering how those 12 years affected her, her mind, her life, I completely understand why she feels this way. 

To everyone who’s in special education now or will be in special education in the future, please know that all the negativity if there are any you’re going through is temporary. It will end. But if you need or want any support till it’s over, my cousin who’s not officially part of this great community, says she’ll help out by telling me advice or anything that I’ll pass along to anyone who needs it. Good luck and love to all of you ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️