There is a rather interesting article HERE concerning the autistic boy in Langley BC who was told he cannot attend school.
Turns out WORKSAFE BC was involved when a teacher made a complaint to them, alleging that there were 'over 16 physical altercations between students and teachers". As alarming as that may sound, no one seems to be able to say if those altercations involve the boy in question or not and the school is not allowing the parents access to their child's school file.
WorkSafe BC is a wonderfully proactive but immersed in politics organization that provides safety guidelines for businesses and workers. I understand that any business can be 'autidited' as well. All well and good, but I am uncertain as to how they have the ability to deny a child schooling.
As someone who has spent many years volunteered in the school, I am also aware that there are many more altercations in elementary school than most parents realize. Unless your child is involved, you are not likely to be informed. (Although it sounds as if the parents of the Langley child were NOT informed of any physical altercations, which begs the question: Why were they not involved or informed?) Most of those altercations are with the typical student, not with a child with ASD. Yet the article implies that the lack of training that the teachers receive on how to 'deal with' autistic children is why this particular child has been ousted.
As a parent of an ASD child who resides in BC I am startled that the teachers do not have any ASD training, as our teachers here do. I am horrified by the idea of my son being involved in an altercation with a teacher and my not being informed. The knowledge that a BC school is denying this child entry is terrifying.
I really wonder what the outcome will be, how much what is being shared publicly is accurate and what is being left out.
Hugs and Laughter to my school for not doing this to me.....
Each time I read about these stories, I think that it could have been me!
ReplyDeleteI have been very lucky in my life.
Other people with the same kind of brains have not been so much lucky than me.