EDFD2211:

Creating inclusive safe and supportive schools Liana Decunto: S00162930

Assessment 1: Letter

20th March 2015

Dear Principal White,

My name is Lucy Smith and I am writing to you in regards to the letter I received
earlier this week informing me that my son, Jackson Smiths enrollment has been
denied and he has not been accepted to your school. I am absolutely disgusted and
am in disbelief that this has happened and was shocked to read in your letter that
you are unable to accommodate to Jacksons needs. I am completely surprised at
the unprofessionalism that you have displayed as a meeting to discuss his condition
was not even organized before you declined Jacksons enrolment. It is unbelievable
to think that without even speaking to Jackson, his speech pathologist, or myself you
have made such a large decision that will have such a large impact on my sons life.
You have demonstrated a lack of initiative and willingness to assist my son and have
proved to be quite discriminative and unaccommodating to those with a learning
difficulty or disability.

As you are aware, Jackson has a severe expressive language disorder. This means
that he has difficulties with the grammatical aspects of spoken language (Better
Health Channel, 2015). Jackson has trouble combining words to form accurate
phrases and sentences(Better Health Channel, 2015), he has a limited vocabulary,
immature grammatical skills, some difficulties with conversational skills (DET,
2013) and his disorder has some impact on his ability to write, spell, compose
sentences and answer straightforward questions (SESS). Although this sounds
daunting Jackson already works with a speech pathologist and we have programs
implemented in our home to assist him in reaching the best of his ability. The school
could assist him in supporting him through school-based intervention programs and
provide teachers aid support if required (Better Health Channel, 2015). I believe
Jackson deserves more respect than you have given him and it angers me to see the
unfair treatment my son is experiencing. By rejecting Jacksons enrollments you are
denying him the opportunity to learn and experience a mainstream education,
which he is entitled to.

I feel it is important for a school to provide an optimistic, welcoming and socially
inclusive environment for all, which encourages acceptance and respect by being
sensitive to all students needs (Vivienne). Your school has definitely proved to be
lacking these attributes, which really disappoints me. All schools should expect to
have a diversity of students in their classrooms with different ability levels. It is in
the best interest of the teachers at your school to be able to plan for and manage
specialist-learning programs for children with learning difficulties just like Jackson.
It is an important part of their job to be able to alter their teaching methods and
adopt new techniques to meet the specific learning needs of all the children in their
class, including those with special needs (AITSL, 2014). The code of conduct is based
on integrity, respect and responsibility (VIT, p.1) all values that Jackson is being
denied. It suggests that all teachers should be respecting the individual differences
and caters to the individual abilities of their students (VIT) I am shocked that you
are a catholic school and this is not being fulfilled.

The national safe schools framework states that for the wellbeing of its students, a
school must possess a safe, supportive and respectful teaching and learning

EDFD2211: Creating inclusive safe and supportive schools Liana Decunto: S00162930
Assessment 1: Letter

community (SCSEEC, 2013 p.3). I feel as though this environment is non-existent at

your school and the wellbeing of your students is not being considered. By denying
my son a position in your school you have demonstrated a poor representation of
this and just like all the other students, it is also essential for my child to be safe,
supported and respected at school to optimize his wellbeing and promote effective
learning (SCSEEC, 2013, p.3) even though he does have a condition that you have
decided you will not accommodate to.

When choosing an appropriate school for my son, your school seemed to be the best
option. I knew that Jackson was always going to fall behind when it came to
language and didnt want him to be isolated or bullied. Through extensive research I
found that you have adopted and implemented a values based education program in
your school that aims to strengthen students self-esteem, optimism and
commitment to personal fulfilment (DEST, 2005, p.2) while also giving each child a
fair go, where all people are treated fairly for a just society (DEST, 2005, p.4). I
also noticed that your school teaches the six pillars of character which aim to avoid
exclusion (Josephson Institute, 2015, p1). I found this to be very encouraging as
two of the pillars stood out to me; respect and caring, pillars which your school is
not demonstrating. You teach your students to be tolerant and accepting of peoples
differences (Josephson Institute, 2015) however you are not. By denying my son a
position in your school you are not fulfilling the attributes your school holds
valuable and important, and you are actually discriminating against children with a
disability and allowing them little choice and no certainty of access to appropriate
supports (HREOC, 2007, p.23) which is appalling and inhumane.

The disability standards for education explains that whether a child has a disability
or not, educators are obliged to ensure that each student is offered the same
opportunities and choices (Department of Education, 2005). I am absolutely
appalled to think that my childs disability was the only thing that was regarded
when considering a spot for him at your school. The disability standards act discuses
the importance of ensuring that all students have access to specialised support
services (Department of Education, 2005, p.4), which is something that was not
even offered to my son, nor was discussed before he was refused entry into the
school. The Education Standards declare that as an education provider you are
obliged to consult, make reasonable adjustments and to eliminate harassment and
victimisation I feel in Jacksons case this has been disregarded as you felt it was too
hard to accommodate to my sons needs when learning of his condition. Jackson has
the right to an education and to receive special support (UNICEF) but these rights
have also been ignored.

I will not accept my sons denied entry and would like to organize a meeting with
you to discuss Jacksons disorder and the programs that can be implemented to
insure my son has a positive school experience. I understand you may suggest
special schooling would be more appropriate for Jackson, however I would like him
to try mainstream schooling first as I believe it would be best for his development.


Regards,
Lucy Smith

EDFD2211: Creating inclusive safe and supportive schools Liana Decunto: S00162930
Assessment 1: Letter

References

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), (2014). Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers. Accessed via
http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers/standards/career-
stage/graduate


Better Health Channel (2015), Expressive Language Disorder. Victoria, Australia. Accessed via:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Expressive_language_disorderress
ive

Department of Education (2005), Students with Disability: Disability Standards for Education.
Accessed via
http://education.gov.au/disability-standards-education

Department of Education and Training (DET), (2013), 2.1 What is a Language Disorder?. Victoria,
Australia. Accessed via
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/support/pages/lspmod21langf2.aspx

Department of Education, Science and Training (2005). National Framework for Values Education in
Australian Schools. Canberra, Australia. P 1-9. Accessed via
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/Framework_PDF_version_for_the_web.pdf

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), (2007), Australias Commitment to
Childrens Rights and Reporting to the UN. P 23. Accessed via
https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/17ca8785-80c7-c04c-5d0f-
64f71cd102b2/1/HREOC%20Human%20Rights.pdf

Josephson Institute, (2015), The Six Pillars of Character. Accessed via
https://charactercounts.org/sixpillars.html

Special Education Support Service (SESS), Expressive Language Disorder. Cork. Accessed via:
http://www.sess.ie/categories/specific-speech-and-language-disorders/expressive-language-
disorder

Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood (SCSEEC), (2013), National Safe Schools
Framework. Pg 1-10. Accessed via
http://www.safeschoolshub.edu.au/documents/nationalsafeschoolsframework.pdf

UNICEF (unknown), A Simplified Version of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Accessed via
https://www.unicef.org.au/Discover/What-we-do/Convention-on-the-Rights-of-the-
Child/childfriendlycrc.aspx

Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). The Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct. Accessed Via
https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/e15c9dc6-4eb2-542b-dbf1-2af04d69cb60/1/1543_Code-of-
Conduct-June-2008.pdf

Vivienne. A, Discussion 2: Student Wellbeing and Values Education, Supporting Student Wellbeing
Through Values Education. Accessed Via:
https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/74cdee09-b046-4413-0d4c-
8179dc83458d/1/Supporting%20Student%20Wellbeing%20Through%20Values%20Education%2
02009%20Excerpt%20.pdf