I was diagnosed with ADD in April of 2002. It is the inattentive type, so that is one reason it was overlooked for so long. I’m in my mid-forties and feel like I’m starting all over. I never could figure out why I had such poor grades in school when I tested in the 160 + range in IQ and always did well on placement tests. I’ve also had problems keeping jobs. Since the diagnosis, I was able to finally gain graduate school admission and I currently have a 4.0 in Computer Science. It took me 25 years to get in because of my undergraduate grades, but I finally got in due to my entrance essay and 20 years of IT experience.
In August, I took a job as a special education teacher. Most of my students were ADHD and I thought I’d be able to make a positive contribution. The principal of the school criticized me over and over and made my life miserable. She knew I had no teaching experience or education background. I was in an alternative certification program. The principle fabricated things to write me up about and threatened me with termination several times. I informed the school district and principal of my ADD and how the principal’s actions were making it harder for me to concentrate. I asked to be moved to another position or school. Finally, she called me to her office, and threatened me again. I am also under treatment for panic disorder and I felt an attack coming on. She typed a resignation letter with my name on it and told me to sign or be fired. She also made several more untrue allegations about me. I signed the letter just to get out of the office. She told me it would not be final until I turned the original into the district office. She ordered me to leave the campus and go turn the letter in. I instead went to an attorney’s office and she told me not to turn the letter in. I instead e-mailed HR and told them that I refused to resign and again requested a transfer. They ignored me. When I filed for unemployment, the district contested it on the grounds that I voluntarily quit. I was disqualified by the employment office because they took the district’s word over mine. I filed an appeal. Last week the judge ruled that I was wrongfully terminated and entitled to all of my unemployment claim. The ruling stated that there was no cause for my termination and that I did not intend to resign. Now my attorney has found 52 grounds for lawsuit aginst the district and also personal suits against the principal and a classroom assistant who lied about me in order to try and force me to quit. I also have filed a complaint with EEOC.
I’m now building custom computers while I look for work. If anyone would like to buy a computer, please let me know. I have a range of prices and I’d be glad to help you choose the best one for you.
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Good for you!
Life gives us much to experience.
Stick with it, bridge your weekness through others and you will do fine.
Now I have a 9 year old I am tring to help.
I had very poor grades through my school years too (60’s), now I know why.
Best of luck to you.
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Hi David,
There seem to few parallels in our lives. I am also in my mid-forties, and was diagnosed with ADD in my last attempt to complete my undergrad degree eight years ago. Six colleges/universities, eight declared majors, 250+ credits, and 25 years later, and I still do not have more than an associates degree!
You had mentioned your IQ as being 160+, but is that your average or your highest score in a particular area? When I underwent the battery of tests to determine whether or not I may have ADD, and there were five or six separate areas (of IQ) I was tested on. My high score was 160+, while my lowest score was in the nineties (I don’t recall in which area) . Beside being diagnosed most probably with ADD, I was also diagnosed with a “non-specific” learning disability. Because of the wide disparity between the two areas, I have a great deal of difficulty making the connection between abstract and concrete reasoning - especially so with reading comprehension. For example, I was the best student (with not much effort) in my anatomy and organic chemistry labs, but in the class and text study I was mediocre at best (and I studied more than any of my classmates). You may want to investigate your IQ scores a bit more indepthly.
Also, I know how I felt (mostly relieved) when I discovered there was something other than “me” attributing to my problems, and I felt like the world would listen and now understand me better. Well, generally it doesn’t. Part of ADD is not knowing/understanding the ramifications of what you say before you say it. Perhaps you heard of the saying, “…engage brain before you run your mouth” (it’s true!). I lost a really great job because I openly confided with people who would not stand up for me. They contrived other reasons to get rid of me, and I could not prove otherwise.
I must chuckle a bit over your remark of “starting all over”, as I have done this many times. I believe you really have to keep at it until it is just your second nature - not your first. I am giving it another go now. I wish you the best in your case against former employer, and your trials and tribulations with managing your recently discovered ADD! ~GLENN
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I would tell her what you’re dealing with, and under the ADA they can’t fire you. If you don’t know anything about ADA, your rights - get all the info. on this that you can. Legally, they really can’t fire you. In fact, you would be a better teacher helping those who may have the same problems that you do. I encourage you to not give up. I would like to work with kids with learning disabilities, but right now - I need to take care of myself. It may be a good idea to find out if you could talk to someone about, maybe a lawyer who knows about the kind of disabilities that you have. Hope that helps.
Sad Story…. I am glad you made a sucess in spite of that BITCH !