Advice please - think I made a terrible mistake

reluctance to put everything in writing usually suggests that not everything they said is true

that's why I always push to communicate in writing everywhere

Personal experience, avoid the NEU.  Find a Union with a dedicated "disabled members" helpline.  The NEU did not understand adult autism and I believe conspire with the schools when the schools have a problem with you.  I couldn't even get the Deputy General Secretary to address my concerns, and Mary Bousted (the joint head) hasn't responded.  They provided me with lawyers waaayyyy too late in my disciplinary causing personal injury to my mental health that they haven't taken accountability for.  If possible, find a non-teaching union that deals with education members..... like a general union.  The education ones are all about "not rocking the boat".

Really glad to hear that good luck with your course.

I was a teacher.  They bullied me gaslit me and dismissed me calling me a "safeguarding risk" following my discovery and disclosure.  I was supporting autistic kids and brought forward concerns about the way they were being supported in school.  So the easiest thing for them was to lie about me and have me fired.  It went all the way to the DBS and the TRA, the DBS put me on the Children's Barred List and the TRA... well I'm still waiting to speak to them.  I strongly believe it is discrimination and illegal, but my union (NEU) said "they're allowed to do that".  I wasn't "disabled" until they did this to me, now I can barely face life. 

You are both honest and an idiot.   I mean that in the nicest possible way.

Most NTs lie and cover up their mistakes and weaknesses.  Only Autistics are that honest.

UPDATE: Thank you for all the kind and helpful comments - had a meeting with the head of the course today and thankfully everything seems to be ok. They said that the meeting was more about arranging accommodations if I needed them and not to worry, I still have my place on the course. I'm really glad, but I wish they'd said so in the email

That is of course blatant discrimination on the basis of disability and they ought to know that.

You are not obliged to disclose anything whatsoever, but with a sympathetic employer/ course provrder, I would encourage that 

That said you can't be a suitable candidate before your disclosure and then after  You'd have a legal case if they are re-evaluating for any other reason than to provide sufficient reasonable adjustments to you.

They cannot retract their offer on the basis of your potential autism.

X

Thank you for the advice, I'm definitely planning on joining a teachers union as soon as I can. I've spent the last 2 years working as an LSA in a sixth-form supporting disabled students, and it's actually what made me decide to become a teacher - I wanted to be a sympathetic ear in a system that doesn't always listen to disabled and neurodiverse students. I hope I'm a good teacher - as a private tutor, I haven't had any complaints so far! Thank you again 

My Lord! Are you trying to tell me that there are no teachers in the country or the world who are on the spectrum? HahaHA! I mean literally HA! 

Give me a break... who cares if you have autism/ are autistic / are blunt with some assessor... 

Are you good to your students? Are you any good at teaching? I've been taught by some serious mean hearted "teachers" over the years - before anyone ever heard of autism... what matters is that you can respect students, prioritise their welfare and can actually impart knowledge and develop learning skills and a love of learning in students.

Join a union and request an apology from the "silly billy" who suggests that your application should be reassessed on the basis of you possibly being autistic!!!! Get in contact with and develop some networks with your student union, and any student support dept at your uni. 

Take some slow deep breaths, don't panic, stand your ground and don't let them get you down. 

Thank you, I've got my fingers crossed. Hopefully they'll see that it's a misunderstanding and it'll all get fixed.

Hi, Are they even allowed to do this? Is this not discrimination and illegal? I am a teacher and totally disgusted that they would think it’s ok to say this to you. I hope it all works out.

Are they actually allowed to change your offer because if your disclosure? Is this not discrimination and illegal? I am a teacher and I find it disgusting that they would even consider saying this to you. 

Hi NAS80563, thank you for sharing with the online community. I am sorry to hear that it's been a challenging time with the teaching training course. This page may be useful for you to better understand what your rights are under the law:

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/education/exclusions/exclusion-england/exclusion-from-college-or-university

Best wishes,

Anna Mod

Thank you, I took your advice and explained the situation to them - hopefully they will get back to me soon with a positive answer.

Thank you, I found this really helpful. I did go and do the test and got 34, which I think is fairly high? I've emailed them explaining the situation now I've calmed down and hopefully they'll get back to me soon. I really appreciate your advice.

Just be completely honest with them. You didn’t declare it presumably because you don’t have an actual diagnosis yet? That seems reasonable to me. 

I think I'd do nothing more at this point, cross my fingers and see what happens.

You've been honest enthusiastic and done your best. If they don't want you, it'll be their loss.

You could in the meantime go and test yourself on t'internet https://www.aspergerstestsite.com/ and if it scores you as non-aspergers or borderline, then you have some useful information. But as you pointed out you were referred for Autism and not yet diagnosed, making it a grey area as to whether you should tell them.