AITA for making an autistic kid cry

r/

This happened a long time ago when I was in school but I still think about it every now and then and wondered if I was in the wrong.

In my school there was this kid named Kyle who was autistic, but everyone hated him because he was kinda a jerk. I never really had a problem with him until one day.

Kyle and I both had a science class together and he sat right next to me. I never really talked to him or tried to acknowledge him because I know my temper.

One day I got up from my desk and left my pencil in the open, and for context I only brought one pencil to school so I don’t have to lie to other kids if they wanted to borrow a pencil, and it was my favorite pencil.

This pencil had MY NAME on it, when I return to my desk my pencil is gone. I look over at Kyle and see he is writing with my pencil and I ask him politely to give me my pencil back.

He snapped at me and said it wasn’t my pencil and stood up to flex towards me to threaten me. I asked one more time to give me my pencil back. This time, he balled up his fists and tries to make a threatening gesture towards me, I told him “hit me I dare you, I’ll knock the autism out of you”.

He threw my pencil on the ground and proceeded to cry and scream and ran out the classroom, I know I shouldn’t have said that but I gave him a fair chance (no I don’t feel bad) , he moved his seat from me for the rest of the year and never had a problem with him again, so AITA for making him cry?

Comments

  1. AutoModerator Avatar

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    This happened a long time ago when I was in school but I still think about it every now and then and wondered if I was in the wrong.

    In my school there was this kid named Kyle who was autistic, but everyone hated him because he was kinda a jerk. I never really had a problem with him until one day.

    Kyle and I both had a science class together and he sat right next to me. I never really talked to him or tried to acknowledge him because I know my temper.

    One day I got up from my desk and left my pencil in the open, and for context I only brought one pencil to school so I don’t have to lie to other kids if they wanted to borrow a pencil, and it was my favorite pencil.

    This pencil had MY NAME on it, when I return to my desk my pencil is gone. I look over at Kyle and see he is writing with my pencil and I ask him politely to give me my pencil back.

    He snapped at me and said it wasn’t my pencil and stood up to flex towards me to threaten me. I asked one more time to give me my pencil back. This time, he balled up his fists and tries to make a threatening gesture towards me, I told him “hit me I dare you, I’ll knock the autism out of you”.

    He threw my pencil on the ground and proceeded to cry and scream and ran out the classroom, I know I shouldn’t have said that but I gave him a fair chance (no I don’t feel bad) , he moved his seat from me for the rest of the year and never had a problem with him again, so AITA for making him cry?

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    > I yelled at an Autistic kid and made him cry, I might be the asshole because I lost my temper with him

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  3. SlappySlapsticker Avatar

    ESH. He was a thief and you went for the lowest blow you could. May you hopefully get through life without any condition or disability you’re mocked for. And hopefully you’re a more decent person now.

  4. Empress-Palpetine Avatar

    You already know you were the AH, which is why you are still thinking about it. The fact that you recognize it now shows growth. What you said was out of line, but it doesn’t define you. Forgive yourself, learn from it, and move forward. If that situation happened today, I’m sure you’d handle it differently. Past AH but not a current one

  5. kusco_the_llama Avatar

    ESH he did something bad and you said something bad

  6. SnooRabbits5564 Avatar

    Having autism while being placed – I assume – in normal classes does NOT give you a blank cheque to behave any way you want and having it written off to autism. If its that bad that everyone hates him then I would say that the parents and the school are the AHs big time for putting him and everyone else through this! So I say that you are not the AH! He stole your pen and then threatened to get violent when you asked for it back?!?! I mean, come on!! How much are you supposed to take just because he has issues?? I can understand the remorse, but you show remorse so that is atonement for that sin. NOT the AH!!!

  7. Rose_Artistic_2266 Avatar

    As someone who’s autistic and has friends on the spectrum, I’ve noticed that it sometimes seems to be the boys who struggle more with daily life skills, while girls may feel the pressure to mask their behaviors to fit in. It’s a complicated situation. Anyway, you didn’t do the right thing in this situation but I don’t think you were an asshole I mean he stole your pencil which isn’t ok, and then wanted to fight you for it. I would’ve gotten the teacher but that’s just me.

  8. Gold_Pumpkin_287 Avatar

    ESH. As an autistic person, we absolutely aren’t devoid of agency. It sounds like this guy was perfectly functioning enough to know where he went wrong. At the same time, the threat you made was mildly shitty. These things happen.

  9. Gileswasright Avatar

    Not gonna judge you, I think that line was hilarious.

  10. Maleficent_Can_4773 Avatar

    NTA at all, he stole your pencil and denied it so fuck him and his ’tism.

  11. Novadeedoo Avatar

    All you did was tell him what the consequences to his actions would be, and you were very quick witted about it too 🤷‍♀️ NTA.

  12. AbbreviationsIcy7432 Avatar

    NTA.

    Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

    Kyle stole from you and threatened you, you made it clear you wouldn’t be a victim.

    He may be autistic but he is also a bully and he got a taste of his own medicine.

  13. lydocia Avatar

    Him being autistic has nothing to do with this.

  14. tableforwilde Avatar

    Maybe an unpopular opinion but NTA. Autism doesn’t excuse stealing or threatening violence on someone. You definitely didn’t handle it the right way after it escalated, but judging from your scenario you’re also a kid.

    This isn’t a “kids will be kids” conclusion, this is a you matched energy situation. No one was right in this, but you weren’t the asshole.