The one that hurt the most was my high school art teacher. When everyone else was learning still life, he encouraged me to do abstract because I 'see the world so differently'. When everyone was doing wood carving, the tools were too dangerous for me.

But the real kicker was when we had a school pride day. It's basically a forced working bee where they get the students to fix up the school. I was painting a door when I went to get more paint and saw everyone in my art class painting a massive mural.

I asked and was told it was invitation only. So I asked my art teacher why literally everyone else was invited and not me. He tried to lie but I persisted and eventually it came out that he didn't think I would be able to see the lines.

That whole group was praised at the next school assembly.

No matter how hard you try people perceive you as different and constantly doubt your capabilities. It's a lifelong game of constantly having to reprove yourself as competent.

Those little bastards would follow me back home all the way to the train station and start calling me a faker, trying to grab my cane, etc. I developed a lot of paranoia from that phase of my life.

So you want me write out a biography of my school experience or should I just let you imagine how bad it was.

A particularly painful experience for me was with a very hateful teacher. She forgot to enlarge my homework. When I explained why I had not done it, she made me stand up in front of the class, called me a liar, said my being visually impaired was just a lie to get out of homework and continued insulting me until I cried in front of the entite class.

A fellow student in middle school tried to set me on fire. I’ve had enough horrible experiences in school to be in therapy for it, but that tops the list. It’s followed up by a kid spitting on me and throwing me into the street. Don’t be the new kid with a disability in a small town.

My teachers don't accept the fact that I'm a VI with high grades...They always say that I'm doing amazing even though I'm just doing my obligation.

A few times while walking down the street people have thought I would make an easy target for mugging. My friends all say 'what are you going to do to defend yourself, you can't shoot a gun?' But I've never needed a gun to hurt anyone, I only need them to get within arm's length. So I am perceived as weak and defenseless, incapable of independent action, and as a target for many predators out there.

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