Masking incentives—the pressure on disabled students to appear less disabled to gain inclusion—pervade British Columbia’s education system, where the subtle expectation to camouflage one’s needs becomes a gatekeeping mechanism in itself, extracting time and emotional labour from students whose distress, once hidden, leads to withdrawn supports; neurodivergent learners routinely force eye contact, suppress stimming or restrain tics to blend in, only to find that the moment their discomfort is no longer visible, essential accommodations vanish. bctf.ca www2.gov.bc.ca
Recognizing masking incentives tactics
Often, schools conflate surface-level compliance with genuine wellbeing, prioritising quiet conformity over authentic support—behavioural expectations demand that students who struggle with sensory overload or executive function silently endure rather than seek adjustments, and staff, under pressure to maintain “orderly classrooms,” may reward students for masking distress with praise while sidelining resource-intensive strategies such as sensory breaks or flexible seating. bctf.ca bctf.ca
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I brought my lunches in yoghurt containers
I brought my lunches in yoghurt containers—garlicky stir-fries, bright with tamari and heat—and sat beside children with white bread and bologna, quietly learning that normalcy was measured in silence, sameness, and smelllessness. I wasn’t bullied. I was strange. And strangeness, in childhood, is…
The cost of masking incentives
When masking is rewarded, the hidden toll on mental health is profound: autistic and neurodivergent youth who suppress their natural responses report significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression and burnout, with studies showing that prolonged camouflaging correlates with self-harm ideation and emotional exhaustion; the Representative for Children and Youth’s “Too many left behind” spotlight reinforces that children whose struggles remain out of sight are disproportionately omitted from timely interventions, compounding trauma and educational disadvantage pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov rcybc.ca.
Strategies to counter masking incentives
- Embed neuro-affirming practice across all levels
Update the Inclusive Education Services Policy Manual to require neuro-affirming pedagogies—such as sensory-inclusive classrooms and co-regulation strategies—as standard practice rather than optional add-ons, ensuring supports remain in place regardless of whether a student’s distress is externally visible www2.gov.bc.ca inclusionbc.org. - Mandate comprehensive training for educators and support staff
implement BCSTA’s call for fully funded neurodiverse awareness and masking-informed practice training under collective agreements, so that all school personnel recognise masking as a survival strategy rather than a sign of resilience, and respond with proactive accommodations rather than silence or praise. bcsta.org bctf.ca - Publish transparent accommodation dashboards
Require districts to publicly report on accommodation requests, implementation dates and ongoing reviews—preventing supports from being withdrawn once initial discomfort is masked, and allowing parents and advocates to monitor when hidden needs re-emerge without jeopardy to services. - Centre lived experience in policy co-development
Convene regular co-development fora that elevate student and family perspectives on masking, embedding their insights into continuous policy refinement rather than relegating them to episodic consultations—thereby dismantling the assumption that silence equals sufficiency.
Conclusion
Masking incentives betray the promise of inclusive education by conflating invisibility with wellness; reminder: masking is not wellness. it is survival—and only by recognising, validating and codifying supports that persist beyond visible distress can British Columbia honour every student’s right to learn authentically, without forcing them to hide in order to belong.
