The principal of the first school where I taught had many issues with me. Among the things she criticized were:

• The way I walked. She said it almost seemed like it was robotic and coordinating my steps. I do have a visible limp, as well as an inner-ear balance issue.

• The tempo of my speech. Especially how it became faster when I got nervous or excited.

• The pitch of my speech. How it rose the further I talked.

• That some of the questions I asked on tests were “common sense” I taught 8th graders. Principal was in her 50s. I was in my mid-20s.

• The way I intonated my responses to students’ questions.

• That I walked over (or next to) some piece of paper without picking it up, thus telling the students that “it was okay to litter”.

Are these ableist? I would not even hear about Asperger’s Syndrome- let alone figured I had it- for a couple more years. But even if I were neurotypical, would these be ableist?

This job was 20 years ago. A malaise I had ended when I left it- a malaise I wondered if it was carbon monoxide poisoning given how much it was weakening me. But I still want to know if she was being ableist or if the job was simply a mismatch. I have been at my current job as a librarian for over 17 years now- and absolutely love it.

So, was she ableist after all?