Will I make dd look like an idiot if I raise issues about this?

[Jerseytired]

DD is in sixth form. She has autism, OCD and emetophobia.
She is extremely sensitive to textures and smells. Her OCD became very bad in lockdown, counting, checking, massive contamination fears, washing her hands until raw etc,

She has been at college for three years, she has even made bacteria but because it was done clinically she was fine.

Last week a tutor was putting fake bacteria on the students, some asked not to for skin reasons and DD told them she had OCD. The teacher laughed at her and sprayed it getting some on dd and her coat. DD came home and absolutely lost it.

Next week they are doing a practical that involves bacteria, fake sick etc. DD remembers it last year when the other class did it and she could not even walk passed the room without feeling ill.
DD has again told her tutor she has OCD and asked for help but she has just told her she HAS to do it or she will fail her and dd is freaking out.

aibu to at least speak to the tutor and ask for reasonable adjustments

No, she shouldn’t give up —- she deserves her diploma or certificate.
The teacher is totally in the wrong. What else was he or she going to laugh at, a blind student, a deaf student? Totally unacceptable, I feel angry on your daughter’s behalf.
Please contact the college, in writing as pp suggested. Point out their obligations and that you do not expect to see these broken in any way.

I am very sorry that your DD had to experience this. No student should be subjected to that kind of treatment. It isn't up to the tutor to decide what your DD is able to tolerate or not.

The tutor has an obligation to make reasonable adjustments for your DD. I would raise the issue first with tutor, and if I got no luck I would take it higher. This isn't just a matter for your child but for other students with similar issues.

I would say that the tutor's reaction is a disciplinary matter, but that is for their department to deal with. You need to go through the process and, if you get no joy, make a formal complaint. Remember to bring any medical evidence with you.

I hope your DD has a good outcome from this.

Thanks @DrBlackbird I was coming on to talk about this case. I work in HE and our Student Welfare team has (quite rightly) beaten this into everyone repeatedly following this case.

This would be good to use if you get pushback OP

My DD19 is housebound as she has several types of OCD assessed as being on the severe scale (this is an assessment your DD should have, can be done by some CAMHS psychiatrists but not all have enough experience). One of the types she has is contamination OCD, I think its important to use the right words and as a fellow sufferer @Servalan is making some good suggestions - definitely get onto the OCD Action and OCD UK websites, lots of information on there about contamination OCD and their helplines/email helplines are excellent (particularly OCD UK). Get some evidence and make a complaint.

Also @Jerseytired OCD Action have excellent zoom/skype parents meetings where you can get advice and support, also something called "Navigating Services" which you can sit in on, this explains how to get correct treatment for OCD, which is usually only available at specialist centres - I mentioned CAMHS earlier, is she under them or has she transferred to Adult mental health team yet?

Definitely raise it with the college. I think you need to have a meeting with the teacher concerned as well and remind him of confidentiality before describing dds condition.

Lately I have seen so many people joking about OCD and other mh conditions which are actually very serious in nature but not everyone understands this unfortunately.

My DD had to leave 6th form. I remember being in a zoom meeting telling the Head of 6th form and the SENCO about her diagnosis and they nudged each other and laughed - they were passing notes to each other and sniggering too. I had a representative from a local charity on the call to support me, they knew they were untouchable - there's no come back on schools that behave like this. My DD's psychiatrist then wrote to the Head teacher and the letter was never even acknowledged. I asked the Head Teacher's PA if the letter had actually reached him and she said it had but that he wouldn't be replying. Yet they publicised that all their staff had mental health training from Mind (i.e., they sat through a presentation and marked it down in their CPD diaries and then ignored it ...) They received accolades for it in their OFSTED report too.

I get so angry when you see posters on here talking about how teachers are beyond reproach etc., you've only got to have a few like the one OP is describing and it can devastate a child or young person. Anyway, sorry, I've gone off on a tangent!

Hold on, someone who teaches at 6th form and is deemed to be safe with vulnerable teenagers behaves like fucking that?

I'd be going fucking nuclear if this was my DD .

I have a blood phobia and was always allowed to miss lessons which involved it or anything about it . So yes call them

I expect it was uv paint or something rather than bacteria.

this would be judged as assault. It is also abusive and threatening behaviour from the staff member. I would go bonkers totally bonkers at the head of the college

totally unacceptable

This was exactly my experience and it made me realise there is a veneer of what should happen and then the actual experience. This doesn't just apply to schools but also children's mental health services etc.