![]() Do they know their rights? How can they object to this procedure? Is the school indeed unable to provide the autistic child with sufficient support, after extensive research into the student’s needs, as the removal procedure prescribes? Neither student nor parents have misbehaved, which are the other conditions for which the removal procedure was designed. But is this the correct path to take? Maybe the child does not speak the Dutch language well enough, or the parents are less knowledgeable of the Dutch educational system and law. Some schools take the radical step of removing the student. It may seem that the needs of the autistic pupil outstrip the school’s resources. Appropriate individual counseling entails huge financial costs. Overstimulation or sudden changes in a routine can provoke unrest, loss of concentration, or even a "meltdown". Yet, the autistic pupil cannot always adapt to the rest of the class or to the classroom. That is, schools must make the necessary adjustments to ensure that every child can participate in mainstream education or offer alternatives. Since the Appropriate Education Act of 2014, all children are to be included in mainstream education, where the school has a “duty of care”. Was the Appropriate Education Act not for you?Īccording to the Dutch Autism Association (NVA), one third of all school refusers - more than 5,000 school-age children who are not taking part in education – have autism. They also increase your risk for being removed from mainstream schools and placed in special education, possibly at a level far below your capability. Yet you stay home and are not registered as a pupil in a mainstream school.ĭo you have autism? What if you also have a non-white or non-Western background, or parents without a university degree? These factors all increase your risk for being underestimated by your teachers, and for being made to feel unwelcome at school. ![]() You want an education like everyone else, and want to do well on your homework and exams. ![]() You are 14 years old, with an average-or-above IQ. In addition, the fundamental problem of unequal opportunity will still arise when children with additional needs have to study online at home, without additional support. However, most issues raised in this blog still remain, or will return when schools reopen. Online education for all might benefit some children that were not going to school before the outbreak. Please note: This blog on equal access to education was written before the coronavirus outbreak, which forced the closure of all school buildings and a transition to online education only. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |