My experience with school

My School Journey

I’m a 16-year-old bisexual male with ADHD and mild autism, and I live with my aunt and grandma in Florida. When I first moved here, I felt incredibly shy, nervous, and scared around everyone at my new school. I was placed in a special education class with other students who were also facing challenges. It was a chaotic environment, and I often found myself retreating to the classroom closet to hide among old toys, trying to escape the overwhelming noise and activity around me.

Unfortunately, things took a turn when I was kicked out of that school for holding a small piece of plastic like a knife during a moment when another student was throwing chairs. They deemed me a danger, which I never intended to be.

My next school experience was even worse, with frequent fights breaking out among students daily. After enduring that, my grandma decided to transfer me to another school, which seemed promising at first. However, when my teacher put my book on a high shelf, I panicked, tried to retrieve it, and accidentally hit her while thrashing about. The situation escalated to the point where the police were involved, and my grandma was left without any communication for two hours. She considered legal action but ultimately backed down due to the school’s threats and against the backdrop of my accidental incident.

Then came summer school, intended to help improve my grades. However, the environment was appalling—spoiled milk and terrible food, and I faced bullying from a teacher who insulted me and pressured me to complete my work. When I stood up for myself one day, things spiraled out of control; I was shoved into a table by my teacher, who used the incident to claim self-defense, despite being an adult overpowering a child.

Things didn’t improve at my next school. Daily fights continued, and one chaotic day in art class, a student flipped all the tables. When the principal arrived, he was hit by a chair. I was terrified and escaped to the buses, finding solace in my bus driver’s shoulder as I cried.

After several tumultuous experiences in elementary school, I finally found a supportive environment that understood my needs. Unfortunately, just as I started to feel comfortable, COVID hit, and I had to continue my education from home.

Middle school was a nightmare. I faced severe bullying—physical assaults, name-calling, and inappropriate comments from both students and staff. One counselor even suggested that if I changed my eating habits, I’d be more likable. Rumors about me circulated, even reaching law enforcement, but there was no conclusive evidence to take action against me despite the harassment I endured. The school environment was toxic, with a resource officer providing students access to inappropriate content without consequences while also failing to address the rampant bullying.

After a series of false reports against me and threats towards my grandma, she pulled me out of that school and switched me to homeschooling for my mental recovery.

High school started off in a newly built school, and initially, things were better. But soon, the bullying resurfaced, particularly from wealthier students who felt untouchable. An incident involving an inappropriate image on my phone led to increased harassment and blame directed at me. Eventually, I was suspended for two weeks, and following this, the harassment intensified both online and in person.

After a little less than a year, my grandma decided it was time to find a new learning environment, and I’m currently in a much better school. For the most part, things have been stable, although now I’m on homebound learning due to feeling physically unwell.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on my experiences in school.