Telling people (about asd)

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Hello.
I am unsure who to tell about me having aspergers. What have the consequences of you telling people at school (especially) teachers about you being on the autism spectrum? When has it been necessary for them to know?
Help?

It depends on the awareness level of your teachers as to how helpful they'll be. I had to tell all my college professors about my AS so they could send my exams to the Resources for Disabled Students building where I took them in my own room with extra time. If you're in a class that requires a lot of group participation and that sort of thing is difficult for you, it might be worth telling your teacher about your autism and seeing if they can find alternative assignments for you. If you feel like a teacher is ignoring your needs, you can talk to the school counsellor about it, and they should be able to help. You might have to have an official IEP in place (assuming you're still in high school) in order to get specific accommodations like extra time for exams or alternative assignments for group work, but if you don't have one, it can't hurt to ask around among your teachers to see what they're willing to give you.

If you have a job, it might be important for your employer to know, depending on the nature of your work. I have a job which requires customer interaction and teamwork, and in which I'm exposed to a lot of loud, sudden noise that frightens me, so my manager had to know so as to allow me brief breaks as needed, and to understand why I panic or get overwhelmed during a rush, and how to talk me down so I stay calm. It might also help your co-workers understand that you're not being rude or antisocial, you just have trouble with social cues, so you'll have an easier time getting on with them.

I'm taking college classes, and I plan on telling my school, because I may at some point need some accommodations or even just some understanding in case I have trouble.

Every individual you tell is one more individual who will probably tell others. If that bothers you, be very choosy about who you tell. If you don't care, you might still want to be a little choosy. Eventually, though, everyone you know will know about you, too. It is really just a matter of you deciding when and who to tell at first.

If you and your parents want certain education benefits for you, they will probably need to tell your school teachers and administrators. If not, no one will know unless you tell them. But, that is about it. The rest is up to you.

I would suggest starting out slowly by telling trusted friends and teachers. See how that works out. Telling others doesn't need to happen all at once.