I don't know - the term "ableist" has certainly spiked in popularity in the last ten years or so, but even in the 90's you'd get a bollocking for throwing around the terms "mong" or "spaz" or "flid" within earshot of a teacher.
I mean, I can see why - I hate the terms myself now. but when you're in single digits of age, it's just used as another derisory term rather than a specific slight at someone's physical or mental development challenges.
It still got you in hot water if you were daft enough to get caught shouting it though.
They could be in 4th grade in 2010, and be 25 now posting this. I could also believe that elementary school teachers could be among the first 5% of people to adopt a new super-inclusive type of brand new lefty language that's just starting to be used for a new type of friendly inclusiveness in 2000.
elementary school teachers could be among the first 5% of people to adopt a new super-inclusive type of brand new lefty language
Elementary school teachers are also more likely to crack down on any sort of insulting language in general. I remember when I was a kid in the 4th grade, our teacher would punish us for asking, "So?" So was short for 'So what?' At the time it was (sometimes properly, give me a break, Mrs. H) a way to insultingly say that someone else's statement was meaningless.
It wasn't because it was ableist, or anything else you could point a finger to except insulting, and teachers head that sort of interaction off early.
I'm about 10 years older and have never heard the term in person, only in lefty online communities like Lemmy. I even took an ASL class from a deaf person (highly recommend, though maybe my teacher just rocked) as an adult with my SO, and we didn't even use the term "ablism," but instead just "hearing" to describe people who aren't deaf (so the concept, not the term). That would've been mid to late 2010s, IIRC.
Couple that with the claimed suspension in 4th grade, and I have serious doubts any of this happened. To get suspended, you need to be starting fist fights or something, even cussing or intentionally insulting people would probably only land normal detention.
I can see it now... I'm called first; I don't know what an adjective is (I still struggle); I panic from the social anxiety of stage fright; I awkwardly try to say anything at all, so I can sit the fuck down and move on; so I say, "Really Richard"
I'm told that's an adverb, and I need to use an adjective. Now I'm pale as a ghost and about to faint from the panic. I stutter, "Richmond Richard?". I'm informed that's a proper noun, so I quickly try again (visibly sweating) spouting, "Reading Richard!"... and am told to sit down, because that was a noun and I've now been assigned extra homework on grammar.
Someone snickers and says "Retarded Richard" in a low voice. The entire class laughs, the teacher is doing their best not to crack a smile (but I can tell), and I am henceforth known as "Retarded Richard" until graduation and beyond.
Adverbs, adjectives, verbs... prepositions! I'm in a living nightmare. There is no waking up from this. I am, forever, "Retarded Richard"
I know they are unverified stories. But I have spent a decent amount of time in the US and everyone I know personally have a similar story of someone being suspended for something stupid.
This is simply a catalyst for those memories of mine.
The schools I as at growing up you wouldn't have gotten this as a punishment until like your 10th strike. You'd get increasingly severe suspensions. One to five days in school suspension then one to five days out of school suspension. Then you got expelled. It's possible OP doesn't remember correctly how long they were suspended. It's also possible this post is a lie, but I'm being generous.
As an American, you'd have to have a conversation with the principal and possibly be forced to hang out with the special needs kids at the school I went to. And yeah the administration would not have seen the ablism inherent in making the disabled kids spend time with a dipshit who just said something offensive about them despite them not having done anything wrong