Bullying and Hospitalization: My Struggle Through School

My journey through secondary school was marked by a series of challenges that have left me greatly scarred. Starting from a young age, I faced various adversities, including being placed in a military academy, suffering from bullying, and experiencing five hospitalizations. This article aims to shed light on the experiences that I endured and the impact they had on my educational progression.

Being Placed in a Military Academy at Age 12

Before even completing middle school, the decision was made to send me to a military academy at the tender age of 12. The experience was not a glamorous one. One of the most notable tasks I was assigned was to walk backwards everywhere, even crossing busy streets. This behavior, coupled with my running away for a few days, added to the distressing episode in my early life. Luckily, I was not truly hunted down by the police, and the incident ended with a re-enrollment in my home state's middle school after a brief period of relative safety.

Struggles at Home During Middle School

At home, the environment was far from supportive. Middle school was a time of heightened bullying, which significantly impacted my psyche. In an attempt to help me navigate through these tough times, the school enlisted two kids to befriend me, supposedly out of pity. However, this effort did not bring the expected positive outcome. The school's healthcare staff, consisting of a psychiatrist and a nurse, tried to diagnose me with various issues, often focusing on my unusual behaviors such as walking backwards and the frequency of my nighttime urination episodes.

Hospitalization: A Constant Struggle

My adolescent years were punctuated by frequent hospitalizations, totaling around 1100 days from age 13 to 17 and a half. Each hospitalization lasted 2 to 4 weeks, during which I received treatment, but I was denied access to any high school classes. The school failed to recognize that my educational needs went beyond the typical high school offerings, and instead, they placed me in segregated special education programs with elementary school-level material. This situation further exacerbated my sense of isolation and frustration, as I was denied the opportunity to progress academically and socially.

Denied High School Education and Graduation

At the age of 17 and a half, I was facing a crossroads in my education. Despite my desire to seek a mainstream high school education, the school administration had other plans. They claimed I had already earned all the necessary credits to graduate without ever being allowed to attend mainstream classes. Their solution? Either attend a ceremonial graduation or have the diploma nailed to me. This ultimatum, coupled with the falsification of academic records, denied me the right to further education and a diploma that should have been rightfully mine.

The narrative of my educational journey is a stark reminder of the importance of support systems and the urgent need for reforms in how schools handle students facing mental health challenges and adversities. With the right support, early intervention, and understanding, I am confident that other students could have a much smoother and happier path to success.

Keywords: school bullying, hospitalization education, special education, high school graduation