Laurinda
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
‘It's not direct bullying, it's more like, “Oh we have to make adjustments for you. We have to make adjustments.” It's the unsaid things.’
Laurinda, mid-40s, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.
Growing up, everyone encouraged her to walk.
‘If you didn't walk you weren't normal. You had to make yourself able-bodied, like you had to hide everything about you.’
Laurinda pushed herself to do the same things her siblings and friends did.
‘Whether it meant that you stayed up all night preparing your stuff, you just did it.’
Laurinda studied to be a teacher and had a positive experience at university.
‘I lived on campus, it was fabulous. I made the best friends of my life because all of a sudden everyone had grown up, and everyone was close by – my mobility issues weren't a problem.’
The university provided reasonable adjustments and gave her extra time to complete her studies.
Not long after she graduated, she got her first job.
‘I went in as an able-bodied person – I didn't actually declare that I had a disability.’
Laurinda tried to hide her disability as much as she could. She never went to the staffroom because she couldn’t carry coffee cups and other items and didn’t want to ask for help.
‘I really didn't understand the implications of my disability. I was just so busy trying to focus on getting through every day. I didn't really realise that it wasn't normal to get home and just crash on the couch and have no social life.’
After a while ‘it was very obvious’ she had a disability.
She started to experience more pain and lost mobility.
‘I set the classroom up in a way that meant the children could help themselves to a lot of things.’
Eventually she broke multiple bones in her feet and toes trying to walk, and needed to use a wheelchair.
‘Schools are not accessible. They have stairs. And for the children with disabilities there might be one room in the school that is accessible, but it doesn't mean it's accessible for staff.’
Laurinda told the principal she had a disability and asked for reasonable adjustments.
The principal wasn’t sure what to do and put her on limited, non-teaching duties. The principal didn’t understand that reasonable adjustments ‘did not mean less’.
One of the students used a wheelchair, and the principal would make comments to Laurinda that she wasn’t as disabled as the student.
‘At the time I went, “Well no, I'm not.” But I am. I just have longer arms and longer legs.'
After a while, Laurinda asked to return to the classroom.
The principal refused because she didn’t believe Laurinda could set up the classroom to accommodate her wheelchair.
Laurinda applied for a permanent position hoping things would improve if she didn’t have to apply for jobs so frequently.
The department refused because she wasn’t ‘able and willing to work anywhere at any time’ because of her disability.
Laurinda ended up leaving teaching.
‘I'd love to do it again, I'd jump at it.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.