Some of my experiences in high school can be described as horror stories. Since I don’t like to dwell on the past, or make my blog a place where I can complain about my impairment, I decided to sum up my most awful school experiences in six words or less, in the spirit of Halloween.
Anonymous survey, here’s large print
Related link- Instructor Evaluations and Low Vision
School starts September, textbooks in January
Related link- All About AIM-VA and ordering textbooks
Large print doesn’t exist, try harder / Can’t see? Here’s a zero
Related link- Accommodations For Print Materials
Everyone gets calculators, except for you
Related link- Five Calculator Apps That Help Students With Low Vision In The Classroom
You’re so high functioning
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No large print at library
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Magnification lock, can’t zoom in
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I forgot to enlarge your work
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Final exam, nine point font
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You don’t need that enlarged
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Fill out this Scantron
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You have glasses, can’t you see?
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No electronics in class
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I think you can see that
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It’s not fair to other students
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No textbooks for you
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I think it’s large enough
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I don’t have time for IEP (or 504, or SAP)
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Oral chemistry quiz
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No lab partner, unfair to them
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Whataya mean you don’t drive? / I think you can drive / You must take driver’s ed
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Can see the phone, not paper
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And now, we’re playing volleyball
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I think you can take gym
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Not vision impaired, vision empowered
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Forgot your test, come back tomorrow
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Got materials late, finish on time
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You will sit in the back
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She’s stupid, she can’t see
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AP and IEP can’t coexist
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Large print unfair to other students
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You don’t need extra test time
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Take off tinted glasses inside
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Paper big, desk small, use floor / Sit in hall, assignment too distracting
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Inaccessible standardized test
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Walks into the wrong bathroom
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You cheated off someone behind you
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Pen bled through paper, grade 50%
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Case manager gone, can’t help you
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Pothole outside bus goes unnoticed
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You’re too young for bad eyes
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Ran into door again
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No way we can include you / You don’t belong here. Go away.
Related link- Having An Undiagnosed Chronic Illness In High School
As I got this post ready for publishing, I shared some of the items on the list with various people with low vision, all who had similar experiences. These stories are not unique to me or to my geographic location, either. In time, my hope is that these types of incidents will happen less frequently, and the future will be inclusive of those with disabilities.
