Eliminating Ableism in Education- Thomas Hehir

In the article Eliminating Ableism in Education, Thomas Hehir discusses how ableism shapes the education system, making it harder for disabled students to succeed. Schools often focus on "fixing" students rather than creating an inclusive environment that accommodates different needs. This mindset can make it difficult for students with disabilities to feel accepted and supported. Instead of recognizing the strengths of diverse learners, the system tends to push everyone toward the same mold, which can be isolating for those who experience the world differently. This strongly resonates with my experience as an autistic student who has learned to "pass" as neurotypical in a high school classroom. Unlike students who receive accommodations for their disabilities, I have often had to navigate an environment that wasn’t designed for me without any visible support. This is the exact opposite of the type of classroom I've had at my previous schools. Because of this, I spent 4 years masking and hiding my natural behaviors, forcing eye contact, and mimicking social cues and just try to blend in and avoid being treated differently. While this helped me fit in, it came at a cost, leading to exhaustion and anxiety. Hehir emphasizes the need for schools to embrace neurodiversity rather than trying to make students conform to a narrow definition of normalcy. If classrooms were designed with inclusivity in mind, I might not have felt the pressure to constantly mask. Instead of being expected to sit still for long periods or navigate group projects without guidance, students like me could benefit from different ways of learning and communicating that play to our strengths. The article makes it clear that supporting students means valuing their unique perspectives rather than forcing them to adapt to rigid standards. At times, I’ve wondered what it would be like if I didn’t feel like I had to hide my autism in high school. If teachers understood why I needed to stim to focus or why loud classrooms made it hard to think, I wouldn’t have felt like I was constantly performing. Instead of struggling alone, I could have been given small but meaningful accommodations that would have made learning less stressful. The article highlights how small changes, like rethinking participation expectations or offering alternative ways to complete assignments, can create a more inclusive school environment. Reading Eliminating Ableism in Education made me reflect on how schools can either empower or alienate students with disabilities. My experience has shown me that when inclusion is treated as an afterthought, students like me are forced to work twice as hard just to keep up. If schools truly embraced neurodiversity, students wouldn’t have to choose between being themselves and being accepted. Instead, we could all learn in ways that celebrate our differences rather than erase them.