That's exactly the problem and it stops people from reaching their potential, like they aren't allowed to aspire to be anything.  I was lucky to have an excellent science teacher who spent time encouraging me and teaching me one to one - I dedicated my thesis to him.

Were it not for that, I largely heard things like 'oh you won't be able to do this type of job, no point doing this kind of qualification' blah blah.  I was forced to stay after school to learn how to touch type because that would be all I was capable of, typing up notes and doing admin. Childcare, that was ok too.

Amazing how many people have had such similar experiences to me and how few are making it through the system in one piece.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sun Apr 13th, 2008 at 03:47:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]
In Wales:
I largely heard things like 'oh you won't be able to do this type of job, no point doing this kind of qualification'

My mother was a very severe asthmatic, who was called into her headmistresses study when she was about 14 to be told that they were calling her in to tell her that they weren't going to enter her for any exams, as there was no point as she was not going to ever be able to get a job. to which she answered that  she'd meant to come in anyway to say she was leaving as she already had a job.

They were fairly insistant that the only thing that she'd ever be capable of was cooking and cleaning.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sun Apr 13th, 2008 at 04:18:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Oh, I grew up hearing older members of the family opine on What Should Be Done About T.

An uncle who was a builder should be able to sort him out with a labouring job.  An aunt with a shop should employ him to run errands. I once heard it suggested that Tesco ought to be grateful to have him collect trolleys as part of their (quote) "cripple quota", seeing as he (quote) "only looks retarded".

And it doesn't end there, does it?  Despite his degree, he's not employed.  It's a source of sickening, smug little comments by those who always said spending money on his education was a waste, and who are too stupid to see that they and their kind are his only real disability.

by Sassafras on Sun Apr 13th, 2008 at 06:00:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Login
. Make a new account
. Reset password
Occasional Series