Ableism: Strengths, Struggles & Reclaiming Autonomy
Despite the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) and the superseding of the DDA with the Equality Act (2010), we still find ourselves living in an ableist society. The general duty of the Equality Act states it is a legal obligation for employers to address unlawful behaviour, by tackling head on discrimination, harassment, and victimisation of disabled staff. However, in practice the unfair treatment of disabled and neurodivergent people can be difficult to prove. During the last session of the “Support Group for Neurodivergent Educational Professionals” we discussed the subject of ableism, every educator present was able to provide more than one example of experiencing ableism.
“if we take the support group as a microcosm of the education system in the UK, how many more neurodivergent educators are directly impacted by ableism”
This got me thinking, if we take the support group as a microcosm of the education system in the UK, how many more neurodivergent educators are directly impacted by ableism, and what steps could be taken by the education institutions they work for to address ableism. And more importantly what we can do as neurodivergent educators to advocate for ourselves.
I was interested to see if the experiences of ableism shared by the support group, and evident in my own research, were present in the growing body of research exploring neurodiversity in education. Using the key words of “ableism” + “education”, in a research database I came across an article by Sally Lindsay and Kristina Fuentes (2022), their research addressed the topic of ableism in higher education, in particular, the experiences of ableism, and the impact of ableism on university staff. Lindsay and Fuentes adopted a systematic review method, the sample included thirty-three studies taken from six countries, with 1996 participants in total, spanning over twenty-five years. Although Lindsay and Fuentes acknowledge they researched ‘disability’ as a whole and the findings could not fully appreciate to the fullest, the varying experience of ableism for both physical and non-physical disabilities, much of what they found resonated with my own research, and that of the experiences shared at the support group session on ableism.
A pattern emerged in the experiences shared by the support group, and the research mentioned above. Neurodivergent and disabled educators cited disclosure on a personal level led to feelings of vulnerability, and on a political level they were concerned at how their disclosure might be weaponised against them, particularly if used to question their competency. There was also a pattern in how requests for accommodations often led to a protracted process, one which lacked structure, and an accountable figure/department to oversee the planning and execution of accommodations. And finally like the support group, Lindsay, and Fuentes (2022) found in the studies reviewed, a pattern of negative attitudes towards neurodivergent or disabled persons normally expressed in the form of microaggressions (e.g. making comparisons between disabled and non-disabled staff in their time to complete the marking of assessments).
What appears to be exacerbating the situation further, despite growing neurodiversity awareness, and the presence of EDI policy in education, is the lack of translation into tangible changes to policy and practice, that move beyond the individualised medical model approach. If we are to eradicate ableism, which should be a key and immediate goal for all educational institutions (and as a society), we need to move towards a neurodiversity/disability affirming, universal design approach, one in which empowers disabled and neurodivergent staff to manage their working environments, by providing flexibility and a safe environment in which they can unmask and excel rather than just get by.
So, how can education as a sector move beyond ableism, well they can do so by:
Creating a culture of equity rather than equality.
Providing flexibility, such as remote working. Education employers need to reflect on whether it is necessary for educators to remain at school, college, or on campus for set hours when they are not teaching.
Applying universal design principles to the layout of teaching and office space, this may reduce the need for individuals to declare their disability/neurodivergence (should they prefer not to) and may also reduce the need for individual accommodations.
Ensuring that EDI policy and process includes a clear and robust accommodation protocol, one which includes a flow plan of the stages, and the assigned to person(s) accountable for each stage of the protocol.
Training for all staff which includes knowledge of key legislation, such as the Equality Act 2010, the ‘Access to Work’ scheme, and awareness training of neurodiversity and its various approach(es), as well as training on how to be an ally.
Ensuring inclusive practice for neurodivergent and disabled staff should be evident in recruitment processes and protocols, and in the development of career progression, as well as in the organisational culture – including using affirming and positive language to describe neurodivergence and disability.
What can we do as neurodivergent and disabled education professionals:
Check our own internal ableism – how do we describe ourselves? What language do we use when talking about our neurodivergence or disability?
Advocate for ourselves and others – we can do this by applying universal learning design principles in our teaching, research, and treatment of others.
Don’t engage in “self-sabotage” by feeling like we must overachieve to show our worth and in doing so burn ourselves out.
Be informed – take time to familiarise yourself with your employers EDI, and all related policies, read up on the Equality Act (2010), and apply to the Access to Work scheme.
Ableism has no place in a modern education system. Equality legislation has failed to achieve the equity it was put in place to achieve, it is time for collective action to dismantle discriminatory practices and create a more inclusive and equitable education system, one that benefits all. By advocating for systemic change and embracing neurodiversity, we can ensure that all educators can thrive and contribute meaningfully within the field of education.
References:
Department for Work & Pensions (2019) Access to Work scheme, UK: 2019. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work (Accessed: 27 February 2024).
Lindsay, S. and Fuentes, K., 2022. It is time to address ableism in academia: a systematic review of the experiences and impact of ableism among faculty and staff. Disabilities, 2(2), pp.178-203.
The Equality Act 2010, c. 15. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents (Accessed: 27 February 2024).
