#sped

[vivianseda]

Thank you to Our Sensory Life

“I spent to many years thinking it was normal to be trapped like this and I was just 'lazy'.

If you relate to this, please hear me, you're not lazy. I know how bad it feels.”

Photo credit: Dani Donovan

[snapcracklepop-myjoints]

growing up in special ed is so funny because youll be like yeah lmaoooo i remember how when i was being annoying in class they would send me to the school psychiatrist to get rid of me that was so funny. one time in middle school i had detention because i fought a kid that was bullying me and i puked and they gave me another detention because they said i did it to get out of detention. and remember when they would tackle people ? lol. they put me on antipsychotics because i was annoying. oh you just started [medication]? i think i was on that in first grade. it made me ill. i think im the worst person in the world btw. and people are like heyyyy what the fuck

[spooksforsammy]

The topics of special education, sped students etc are complex. Especially when get into what should be called.

Yes. Call me what Am. Am disabled am autistic. But also no problem called special needs or sped. Because am that.

So many say drop sped and special needs all together. Because the students don’t like. But what about the one do like? Me and some people personally knew liked and were okay with sped + special needs. Sometimes prefer that term.

Don’t be afraid say disabled. Or autistic. Or whatever. But the goal should be call students what they prefer, which could be special needs or sped.

Sometimes to get what need. Have call self sped or special needs. So naturally have no problem. The problem is forcing lable onto others. Especially if have shown discomfort or dislike to that term. Similar to low/ high functioning.

[magpiemagica]

Disability in the US: A Masterpost

DISABLED AMERICANS CAN’T EVER CATCH A F*CKING BREAK?!

Sorry for yelling; just very scared and upset at the state of my nation right now. And the fact that the only people I see standing up for the disabled community right now is teachers, doctors, and adults of disabled children! I will be using this post to document and educate on disabled issues.

Note from March 25, 2025: Some stuff near the top might be out of date, specifically regarding the state of The Department of Education. I will still keep those (pre-closure) links up as they are still relevant. Just be aware of the timeline while reading; I started dating my updates around Early March.

(Note: In this post, I will be going over a bunch of stuff concerning the disabled community. I am an adult diagnosed with autism (and some other stuff) who although being Lv1, needs support. These issues will obviously affect more than just Americans with developmental disabilities (autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, etc.) and I will try to be as inclusive as I can to ALL disabilities in this post. This is just the personal experience I am bringing in.)

RFK JR. (he is a whole pile of worms, no pun intended)

17 states are in a lawsuit to eliminate section 504 of of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, this would allow public schools to discriminate education against disabled students. This includes removable of disability accommodations. 504 applies to other government assisted services as well such as hospitals and doctor's offices. This possible removable is a big civil rights issue.

Below are Section 504 itself and the lawsuit.

Speaking of disability and education, the dismantlement of the Department of Education. Just like stated in GOP plan Project 2025, Donald Trump plans to eliminate the Department of Education. This is a horrible idea for so many reasons but especially for disabled students and their parents. The DOE funds special education or "SPED" programs in schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, (in 2022-23) 7.5 million students in America receive special education or related services.

Obviously, the pulling back and demonization of DEI will be a big negative for the disabled community, one that already struggles with finding employment, belonging, and support. But most people are already aware of it.

Problem Presidential Actions/Executive Orders. There are many; some linked below. These are specifically ones that impact disabled Americans; lots of ones not mentioned are just as if not more concerning for other reasons.

KEEPING EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE AND ENDING COVID-19 VACCINE MANDATES IN SCHOOLS: will endanger communal health, especially that of the immunocompromised

AMERICAN HEART MONTH, 2025: Magpie, wanting to raise awareness for heart disease is obviously a good thing! Why put this in here? "And we will fulfill our pledge to investigate what has caused the decades-long increase in health problems and childhood diseases — including obesity, autoimmune disorders, infertility, and autism." Yes and, my main concern is their inclusion of "autism". Ignoring the fact that they referred to it as a heath problem or childhood disease, I am autistic adult who has lived on this earth for around 20 years now. For me, this screams Autism Speaks. Autism is a genetic disorder and there have been many studies about its potential causes. This administration has rejected and censored the medical world; this will only result in misinformation being spread.

WITHDRAWING THE UNITED STATES FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: This one should be self explanatory.

There is more.

There's more concerns I have but I'm tired :/. So tired. Just wanted to raise awareness. I'll post something fun next.

UPDATE: MARCH 11, 2024

Soo...it gets worse, like it always seems to do nowadays.

CDC is planning on doing a nation wide study, studying "the link" between autism and vaccines. The link that seems from the debunked and medically controversial 1998 Wakefield study. Anyone who has a valid medical degree, did basic research on the topic, or is educated on autism can tell you that you cannot "get" autism from vaccines. It is important to note that developmental, neurological, and mental delays due to things like lead poisoning, injuries to the brain, and medical issues like diseases or strokes. However, this is not the case for autism. Autism is a condition you are born with, similar to other developmental disabilities. It seems to be only really questioned because unlike other disorders like down syndrome and fragile X syndrome, autism does not display any physical deformities or traits. You cannot tell if a baby is autistic at birth, only later on as it goes through stages of development. Autism is a genetic disorder with some suspected environmental risks.

So, why is the CDC spending this amount of energy on a theory from a disgraced man who got his medical license revoked and has been fact checked by the medical community multiple times? Short answer, money. I talked on this weeks ago in the American Heart Month section. This is plan to transfer money away from important services and spend it on something meaningless. I don't want to call it embezzlement but that is what it is currently looking like to me :/.

I would be incredibly upset if this happened anytime but now?? The worst time. Antivaxx has been gaining more and more popularity over the years and I have seen a sharp increase of medical misinformation since the confirmation of RJK Jr. The United States government themselves pursuing this theory only validates medical denialism. And with the very real threat of a nationwide Measles outbreak; people need to be vaccinated against MMR more than ever. No more kids need to die because their parents didn't give them the proper vaccines. We are at 2 deaths rn, the first confirmed to be an unvaccinated school child :(.

Oh and also big Medicaid cuts.

Ugh. Signing out for now <3

UPDATE: MARCH 21, 2024

So, it’s happened. The Department of Education I mean. Not surprised, I’m one of the few who sat down and read Project 2025 (Section 11 linked). But God.. it doesn’t feel real. I’m scared, especially for disabled kids, especially in poorer areas. These families. I don’t know what else to say. I don’t know what to do. God bless the teachers of America.

UPDATE: MARCH 25, 2024

Back to bullshit. Sorry if that's too harsh; I'm just not really in the mood for pleasant formalities. Due to the Department of Education being destroyed (including OSERS), as mentioned above, the responsibility of Special Education will be transferred to Robert F. Kennedy in The Department of Health and Human Services. He and his department not qualified to handle SPED at all. In fact, looking back at when I originally wrote this post, he was one of the leading threats I identified in this administration relating to disability justice.

UPDATE: MARCH 28, 2024

So, about the The Department of Health and Human Services...

Another link. And another link, more specifically about disability and these cuts (from Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund).

Sorry that there is no description on this update; hopefully I will fix that in the future. I am writing this in a hurry.

[foursthemagicknumber]

Billy: fun fact: there’s a mushroom that will liquify your liver if you eat it

Teddy: it will WHAT my WHAT

Billy: this is why we don’t lick mushrooms we find in the forest

Tommy:Sounds like chicken talk if you ask me

[bonsai-is-a-bottle-of-oj]

is it wrong that my parents tell my brother not to do t-rex arms?

this is t-rex arms, and is a common symptom of asd. it's when you just walk or stand like that without really noticing, instead of your hands by your sides

well every single time my parents see my younger brother (who is very likely of high functioning asd) doing this, they instantly get onto him and tell him to stop. like it's some virus or hurtful or smth. they do this to my younger sister too

is this normal? parents forcing their children to mask and not be comfortable? because my parents have been doing it for years, with this and other things

[yiffjerker]

Ill read ranfren one day

[paperboy-pb]

Preview for an animation... 👀 let's pray it'll be done before the end of the year!

[whinyvents]

As someone who spent the entirety of my secondary school years in special ed, I am tired of not being able to relate to others on the topic of "universal" british secondary school experiences.

So in attempt to combat feeling left out, I have come up with my own list of quintessential secondary school experiences.

2009-2014 british special ed secondary school culture is:

Weekly spelling tests. Every year.

Teachers assuming we would all be too clueless to figure out that every staff computer password was literally set to "password".

Sex education not technically being abstinence only, but still lowkey encouraging it by primarily focusing on the negative consequences of engaging in sexual activity, such as STIs and unwanted pregnancy.

Strict dress codes being easy to enforce when the total number of students was small enough for everyone to be noticed individually.

Feeling nervous (due to stigma) whenever someone you perceived as normal would ask you what school you went to.

Every student in the entire school having to appear on stage at least once for the Christmas production each year.

Missing out on the classic "you can achieve anything if you just work hard" speech. Some kids were even told that they would never achieve their dream jobs.

That one teacher (or teaching assistant) who openly disliked you.

Due to it being a male dominant environment, the most popular girls were usually "one of the guys".

Academic performance levels that would be considered failing grades in mainstream education actually being praised as high achievements when only slightly below average. (A personal example would be me getting a D in maths)

Those pencil packs with "100% Attendance" written on them being given as a reward at the end of each term to those who showed up every day. I would like to thank my strict mum for helping me win those pencils almost every term.

No PDA between couples allowed, not even hugging. (Although in my case they did eventually update this rule to allow holding hands as the exception)

A noticeable lack of sympathy from many teachers whenever someone had an emotional outburst in a situation that was actually distressing for them.

Years 7 and 8 still feeling like an extension of primary school.

The representation you lacked in fiction being made up for in documentaries your parents watched.

Everyone knowing everyone like they do in small villages.

Social skills classes taught with the implication that the objectively correct way to communicate is the neurotypical way.

Either getting pathologised for finding something difficult or told to stop making excuses. No in-between.

Those who were considered "high functioning" often trying to distance themselves from those who were more severely disabled. Despite not actually being very high functioning myself, I was still guilty of doing this multiple times and for that I am sorry.

[insanelyadd]

Shout out to everyone who had to go to the Quiet Room in school because you were being "disruptive"

[vivianseda]

Thank you Em @ NeuroWild

“The illustrations that started it all.

I would draw these slightly differently now.

The main difference would be highlighting the value of coregulation. Independent regulation is all well and good but it doesn't work for me. I usually need someone to help.

And that's ok.

You know?

Em 🌈”

[justawholedumpster]

Currently dealing with a mom who doesn't want to allow the school to do special testing on her child because she doesn't want a SPED kid. I always knew hypothetically that these kinds of people were out there, but I'm shocked to actually have met and be handling one.

I just cannot understand claiming to love your child and yet denying them important resources they need to succeed because a label might embrace YOU. This child is not going to stop being autistic. it's not a question if they are or aren't. It's a question of if they're an autistic child with horrible grades, no understanding of why they aren't fitting in with those around them, and a mother who is ashamed of them for something they were born with, or if they're someone with autism who gets to figure out how to function in this world in a healthy, loving, and supportive environment while getting the help they need to succeed further on in their education.

I can't imagine how much this child will resent their mother someday when they have to unpack all this crap on their own instead of getting the help they need and being successful from the outset. Imagine failing all your classes because it'd ruin your mother's self image if you needed a para.

[warringwarrioridiot]

@cheezestick Have a pic of my land otter Tux

The skrunkly

[clownrecess]

Can you share your experiences with being in special ed? What are some pros and cons of switching to a special ed school from mainstream education?

Yes, I'd be happy to share some of my experiences and perspectives. ^^

Until the age of 11, I was in general education. Being in general education without adequate support was a challenge. I often felt isolated, scared and misunderstood. I struggled to keep up with the pace of the classroom and found it difficult to form relationships. When I finally did make a friend, I became so incredibly attached to and obsessed with them to the point it was "suffocating" for both of us, and majorly impacted my mental health in a negative way. I already struggled in class, and couldn't keep up, so it definitely didn't help that all I could think about was this friend (who was already toxic in the first place). I also had teachers who weren't understanding at all. My fourth grade teacher literally made me throw away my project once because I folded it wrong, and then wouldn't let me start over.

Point is, general education was really difficult for me, and it felt really unsafe.

It wasn't until I entered special education that I began to receive the support I needed to communicate and learn effectively. One of the biggest advantages of attending a special education school as an autistic individual is the access to specialized support and resources. In my experience, special education schools often have a team of professionals who are well-versed in working with autistics. They understand the unique challenges and strengths of autism and can tailor their support to meet my specific needs.

I am allowed to take breaks, there are multiple ESA's on campus, bringing comfort objects is normalized, stimming is normalized, my classes cover topics slower, my classes teach one grade lower than the one you are in, etc.

Those things are all very helpful for me.

Unfortunately, there are of course some cons to being in SPED, too.

A challenge that I have experienced in SPED schools is infantilization. Sometimes, teachers and other staff members may treat us as if we are young children rather than teenagers. This makes me deeply upset. It happened to me today and I texted my mom to pick me up early because of how anxious it made me feel.

Another one is a bit more difficult for me to explain, because I dont know if anyone else feels upset about it. Since my school is smaller, I dont see as many students with interests similar to mine, or different fashions, or social media things. This made me feel like I was missing out on a lot of the typical school experiences that my peers were having, or like I see on television.

Finally, there is a stigma attached to special education that can be difficult to overcome. While special education can provide necessary support and resources, it can also be viewed as a place for "problem" students or as a "lesser" form of education. This stigma can lead to feelings of shame and inadequacy and can negatively impact an individual's sense of self-worth and self-esteem. Personally, when out and about around other people my age who arent disabled, I hear people use "SPED kid" as an insult a lot. I know that this is no different than any other ableist insult, but it makes me feel very upset.

This was based purely on my feelings and experiences.

[g0blin-brainxo]

I think I’m gonna start using my tumblr as a kinda journal type thing to keep track of the things I do in a day. A way to remind myself that I get a lot more done than I think I do.

So here’s a little introduction!!!

Hi! I’m Ry! I’m 19 (20 in March). I’m a special education paraprofessional, and I just started working towards my sped degree. I love art and reading. I’m a lesbian, I’ve been with my partner for almost 4 years now! <3 I’m a theatre kid and a silly lil emo. My pronouns are she/her. If you got this far, thank you for reading and go ahead and follow if you wanna see the mundane things I do in a day or want a reminder that it’s okay to not be super productive all the time! :)

Have a good day/ night! <3