Neurodiverse Students are Systematically Receiving Less
By Ximena Mandujano
Neurodivergent students have the hardest pathways through education. They face struggles of exclusion as well as a lack of support and proper resources. During high school, I remember the neurodivergent students being separated from the rest of the school population. My high school had neurodivergent classrooms at the very end of the hallways. Plus, their schedules were purposefully different from those of the student body. This created exclusion and invisibility on campus; you would rarely interact with them, and those who were taking classes with the rest of the student body were bullied. I remember in physical education students would take advantage of another student's disabilities and make him do or say inappropriate things, resulting in the neurodivergent student constantly getting in trouble. Slowly, he was separated from the rest of the class. Students have not been compassionate towards their fellow students with disabilities because of the lack of exposure and education; it is so sad to see how the system has inflicted a separation that has caused more harm to the neurodivergent student body.
In my senior year of high school, the Youth Council took the initiative to create more inclusion and illuminate the struggles of neurodivergent students and families. We talked to neurodivergent families, and they expressed their frustrations with the district. Someone shared that their Individual Plan of Study (IP) needed to be followed. IPs are essential for neurodivergent students because they provide a roadmap created to fit their educational needs. If IPs are not being met, how can we ensure our neurodivergent students succeed? The initiative also allowed us to discuss how we can mitigate the bullying towards neurodivergent students and create more inclusion. If there had been more inclusion and integration since early education, there would have been a better understanding of disabilities. It’s clear educating children at a younger age could benefit the integration of neurodivergent students.
In addition to the social and emotional struggles, funding is another massive issue. When budget cuts occur, neurodivergent funding is among the first to be cut. We are creating more disparities in education and accessibility in schools. With our budget deficits and Trump threatening to abolish the Department of Education, the future of education is already very grey, causing more panic about the future of disability and neurodivergent funding. How will we ever ensure that neurodivergent students are provided the essentials to survive in their schools, let alone provide an environment where they can succeed and thrive?