Schools Are Sensory Nightmares

They’re bad enough for neurotypical folks, but can be hell for neurodivergent students

Created by author on Canva

Have you been inside of a school recently?

Or taken a school bus on a field trip?

This past weekend I went to the Banjo Bowl. It’s an annual CFL (Canadian football) game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. It’s tradition, it’s rowdy, and it’s a lot of fun if you like sports (which I do).

This game is always sold out. It’s louder and rowdier than most games because of the rivalry between SK and MB. I don’t even mind the loud stadium during the game because I enjoy watching football and get swept up in the excitement and competition.

I do, however, mind the crowds in the hallways, the long line-ups for everything, and the bus ride home.

We use what’s called the Park N’ Ride, where we park our car at a carpool lot and take a school bus full of fans over to the stadium. It’s only $5, it saves us from fighting traffic to get in and out of the parking lots, fighting traffic, and we avoid paying $20 for our troubles.

Anyway, I expect the bus rides to be loud and full of drunk and exuberant fans, that’s par for the course. On the way there it’s not too bad because most people haven’t had many drinks yet, and are the excitement is just starting to ramp up.

The way home is a different story.

This year we won and it was a fantastic game. It was a great game to watch, but this meant a lot more drunk fans celebrating on the bus ride back. Add that to having spent over three hours in a crowded stadium with a sold-out and very excited crowd — one’s tolerance can only be sustained for so long.

---

What does this have to do with schools?

Think about kids in elementary school every day. They often start their day with a bus ride, which is usually loud and mostly unsupervised (at least here, there is only the driver, who has to focus on — y’know, driving).

Then they are in busy, loud hallways, at their lockers or cubbies. Next they move into loud, often overcrowded, classrooms. Then there are announcements, recesses, gym class, fire drills, music class, all followed by yet another loud bus ride home.

And that’s just the noise. There are also bright, flickering fluorescent lights, staff and students wearing scented lotions or perfume, the smells from snacks and lunches, and the scents of various industrial cleaners (to name but a few).

To be honest, I’m surprised there aren’t more behaviour issues as a result of this sensory nightmare.

Image created by author