By Sherri Huff, Ed.D., Birmingham, AL

The classroom is often viewed as a space of selfless giving, where the educator’s primary role is to support the growth and well-being of their students. However, for many teachers, this professional devotion masks a private struggle. Invisible disabilities, chronic illnesses, neurodivergence, or mental health conditions that are not immediately apparent to others are common among educators, yet they are frequently kept secret. The decision to hide these conditions is rarely about a lack of trust in colleagues, but rather a complex decision to support professional survival and the perceived expectations of the role.

At the heart of this cover-up is the “performance” of teaching. Education is a profession that forces teachers to consistently be in the public eye, requiring constant emotional labor and physical presence. Always in the spotlight. Teachers are expected to be the stable, energetic center of the room, managing dozens of personalities while maintaining a rigid schedule. For an educator living with a chronic illness, the effort required to maintain this façade, often called “masking,” is extremely exhausting. They fear that disclosing a disability will lead others to question their competence or stamina. There is a constant worry that if a supervisor knows a teacher struggles with chronic fatigue, autoimmune flare-ups, or sensory processing issues, they will be viewed as “unreliable” or “fragile,” regardless of their actual performance or track record.

Not to mention, the culture of the teaching profession often ignores burnout and endurance. In many school environments, the “hero teacher” narrative persists. The one educator who stays late every night, ignores their own needs, and pushes through illness for the sake of the students to avoid any chance of being found out that they have a chronic illness. In such a climate, admitting to a disability can feel like admitting a weakness. Educators may fear that requesting necessary accommodations like flexible grading deadlines, a modified physical workspace, or a brief period of rest between classes will cause them to be perceived as seeking “special treatment” rather than essential support.

The fear of stigma extends to the relationship with students and parents. Educators strive to be pillars of the community and to be the reliable ones. There is an internalized pressure to be the “strong one,” and some teachers worry that disclosing a health struggle might make them appear vulnerable or less capable in the eyes of their students’ guardians. This creates a lonely situation. The very educators who teach their students about empathy, inclusion, and the diversity of the human experience often feel they must exclude their own lived realities from their professional identity.

Prioritizing health and wellness as an educator requires a change in both individual and educational perspectives. True inclusivity in the workplace means moving beyond the accessibility of ramps and elevators to embrace cognitive and medical accessibility. When schools learn how to create a culture where health is prioritized over achieving high test scores at all costs, educators can stop spending their limited energy on hiding their disabilities and start channeling it into their teaching. By acknowledging that a teacher’s wellness is a prerequisite for student success, the education system can transform the workplace from a space of secrecy and hiding illnesses into one of genuine support.

Resources for Educators

• The CARE program from CREATE
  • Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) is a unique professional development program that helps teachers and administrators handle their stress and rediscover the joys of teaching.
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
  • Whether you want to understand mental health challenges, promote emotional well-being in the classroom, or simply learn how to take care of your own mental health, our resources cover a wide range of topics to foster a supportive and informed learning environment.
• NeuroLaunch
  • Mental Health Resources for Teachers: Essential Tools for Educator Well-being
• TeachersFirst
  • TeachersFirst Collection: Self Care for Educators