When Shame Becomes the Seed of Violence

"From the beginning, it was clear that Santiago felt different from his classmates. Many of the other students came from families with greater financial resources, and the difference appeared in small details that children notice quickly. Some commented on his worn shoes or the way his uniform looked slightly older than theirs. Others noticed his books or the old backpack he carried every day."

"When reading aloud, he often hesitated or lost his place in the text. A few classmates began repeating his mistakes in a mocking tone, turning his difficulty into a moment of laughter. Over time, we discovered that Santiago lived with ADHD, dyslexia, and weaknesses in phonological awareness. These conditions affected the way he processed language and made reading particularly challenging."

"To adults, these moments may appear minor. In many schools, teasing is dismissed as something ordinary between children. For Santiago, those experiences slowly accumulated. Day after day, he sat in the same classroom with the quiet awareness that he did not fully belong."

Santiago, an 11-year-old from an underprivileged background placed in a private school, experienced cumulative humiliation from classmates who noticed his worn clothing and older belongings. His academic struggles with reading and writing became targets for mockery, compounding his sense of not belonging. Underlying learning disabilities including ADHD, dyslexia, and phonological awareness weaknesses made classroom tasks difficult. The combination of social exclusion and academic difficulty created deep shame. Recognition of these interconnected challenges by educators and caregivers proves essential for redirecting a child's emotional trajectory and preventing aggressive responses rooted in emotional pain rather than defiance.

Read at Psychology Today