Written by Mitch   

Hello my real name is Mitch.

I live in Canada that evokes a lot of Stereotypes... and even ones that stick with you from Kindergarten to University(never relinquishing the vile nature of the Peel Board of Education stench of Institutional Racism) and our society completely endorses. I was subject to BULLYING far more heinous than merely peers alienating, ostracising, humiliating and making getting an education next to impossible to achieve in their messed up system. The teachers, administrators and others have carefully, ruthlessly, deliberately, systematically eliminated really smart/intelligent souls out of the school system as they simply are not wanted or fit into their schematics. This kind of bullying is far more hideous than some twerp of a student belittling another on Facebook, it is the School itself declaring war on young souls like myself.

I guess I always knew I was different when in Kindergarten that I dressed up as a Witch for Hallowe'en and maintained it throughout the day and night. My mother wasn't sure how to handle her youngest identified himself a feminine character rather than the socially acceptable masculine. I had failed Kindergarten mostly I began to refuse to participate in classroom activities as I was being bullied by everyone in the class. I was told to tell the teacher and they would handle the other child's cruel actions towards me or anyone else. Well... the teacher's(a tall ugly with way too much make up- kinda sleazy) reaction was laughter and she ushered me away with a wave of her large unfemale hands. I became enraged by the dunking into the toilets and fights where the teacher took the tormentor's side and I was subject to more shit than I care to recall. I began to hate school as my own teacher made her position clear to me... "You don't belong in this class or this school" was an unspoken and yet clear message to me. I stopped caring about how 'they' thought of me as my life in suburban Ontario was about to get way worse as I merrily danced through school without a care. I stopped doing all my school work as I was being treated like a RETARD(quite literally), except some rare souls like Mrs. Joyce(older woman in her early 60's) told my mother not to rebuke me for being left handed. In Elementary School I was labelled on my permanent transcripts with these very dark and ominous words "This person is an Idiot and should not be given any help as he is totally incompetent to learn new things." I read this in my own file that was passed along every grade which I was promoted to the next grade(not giving a shit about school or their ongoing politics). I encountered Mrs. Wong in a Scarborough School who showed me a studious discipline and laid the path to teach myself English, Math, Sciences and everything else since I wasn't learning a damn thing in school. She showed that education isn't about speed but understanding/comprehending things with more clarity. I took it on myself to teach myself everything from a rudimentary level to beyond and show these nasty detractors(if given a fair chance) I could exceed all barriers. I entered grade nine in the same lackadaisical way, with new found knowledge that this fool can actually learn things as I slowly taught myself. I wasn't able to get any help from peers, teachers or anyone... as my own mother called me "stupid". I shook my head and refused to accept her ill-informed opinion of me... "I know I have my difficulties in learning, doesn't mean I am stupid. Fuck her if she thinks I am stupid, fuck all the rest of the morons who believe this ignorant opinion." I had encountered a Science Teacher who pretty well summed up the whole problem of schooling for me... I had asked Mr. Steel for extra help in grade nine biology as I was having some trouble understanding and completing the material. His response is typical of the apathy I have encountered throughout my scholastic experience, "You are not ENTITLED to extra help since you are not in the 80-90% range." This is problem with the school model, if you are like me and have a Learning Disability... then you simply don't count in the whole concept of education. The obvious inequities are glaringly apparent especially if you don't understand the ritualistic nature of their system in the first place. One has to realise very quickly that Education(= Competition) as far as anything else is concerned. I fully comprehend the idea of comparing papers, assignments, term papers and other literary mechanisms but to ignore, assimilate, assume, label and subsequently humiliate people into submission is not education... it is fuckin' inhumane. This shit has to stop and be stomped on until it does stop... and this begins by eliminating the bullying of students with Learning Disabilities. The illusion of intelligence is a farce in it's very nature as someone may have an IQ of 159 but the aptitude of a 5 month old child in need of breast milk - dependence. The biggest culprit is the education administration, it's faculty and the rest of governmental bodies who also are part and parcel of this deliberate elimination of us. The testing of us who are unfortunately been ignored by the very system who labels us must come up with the money, apologies and our inclusion into the rest of society. We are not going away and as far as I am concerned, we no longer need to be ashamed of our neurological deficiencies. We are better than the lies that these so-called educators spread about us.


Mitch Yamamoto
Red Deer, AB
Please do not censor me for the vulgarity in the piece as it goes to frustration that so many of us share, understand, experience and feel on a daily basis.