What I Saw During My School Outreach on Disability and Stigma

I went to a school recently to talk about disability inclusion, stigma, and how everyday behaviour affects children with disabilities more than we think.

On the assembly ground, while I spoke and looked at the students, I kept noticing something small.

Some children were just not fully part of what was happening.

Not in a dramatic way. Nothing obvious.

Just small moments where groups formed quickly, attention moved on, and a few students were left on the outside without anyone really noticing.

Not because they were rejected. Not because anyone was being cruel.

It was more that nobody paused to ask, “Is everyone still with us?”

And that is usually how exclusion happens. Quietly. Without anyone meaning it.

During the session, I asked:

“How do you feel if no one is there as your friend?”

The answers were quiet at first.

Then a few students tried to explain it in their own way.

And as we talked more, it became clearer that exclusion is not always about disability or physical access.

It also shows up in group work where one child is not included because they process things differently or take more time to respond.

It shows up when instructions are rushed. When jokes move too fast. When decisions are made without checking who is not following.

What I wanted them to understand is simple:

Schools don’t just teach subjects. They teach people how to treat other people.

So when exclusion happens in classrooms, it does not stay in classrooms.

It follows people.

Into how they think. How they speak. How they see others.

And that is why those small moments matter more than they look like in real time.