Danielle RalstonFounder, How Capacity Works · Founder of ND Hive | Building the productivity hub where work actually gets done | Execution spaces, body doubling & community accountability

Teacher bullying is REAL — and it leaves scars.

3 Oct 2025 · 1 min

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1:20

Danielle Ralston describes being bullied by teachers who called her retarded and missed her autism diagnosis. She connects those experiences to how ableism damages children's shame and executive function, and why parents, coaches, and teachers need to respond with support instead of dismissal.

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I've had teachers bully me. I mean, I come from a time where calling some— being diagnosed as mentally retarded was very much a thing. They didn't recognize autism in young girls back then. Um, but I would have teachers pick on me for that. I have multiple teachers that, oh, Danielle's just retarded, she can't do anything, which should have never— again, to your point— ever been said in class. But, well, Danielle can't help it, she's not smart enough to do that. Like, We've heard these things so often. So when your child starts expressing what you consider over, you're being a drama queen, you're being too sensitive, chill out, it's not that big of a deal. Yes, it is that big of a deal. Yeah. When we need to, as the parents, as the ADHD coaches, as the therapists, as the teachers, we need to be taking that into consideration and Stop being ableistic, first of all. And second of all, really hone in on what does this child need to feel safe and not in a shame loop over this, because they're not going to do well in school if they're stuck in that shame or their executive function— well, dysfunction has taken over and there is no executive function because they feel bad getting their calculator out. Yeah.