This charming vision of inclusion isn't working

[Kathryn]

Nothing we don't already know, but I think it's a good article. Highlights the issues that the journalists have mostly overlooked in their coverage of the Ruth Kelly story.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1987351,00.html

 

K x

[Mother in Need]

A good article indeed. I won't hold my hopes up yet though, IF anything comes from it it'll be years, and there have ben plenty of other people pointing out all of these things.

[mossgrove]

Successive education ministers have shown a remarkable ability to put their fingers in their ears and start singing when confronted with information like this, although the fact that both of the candidates for next PM have children with special needs does offer a glimmer of hope.

 

Simon

[Karen A]

Hi. That is an excellent article.If the current situation regarding SEN provision continues to get press coverage and the public become more aware then RK will have done parents a service in the end. <'> <'> Karen.

[baddad]

Thanks, kathryn -

 

Really well written, I thought - straight to the point...

Not really convinced that having MP's OR a PM who's children have special needs would make a great deal of difference - as the RK situation highlights (and many other recent events completely unrelated to disability or education!), the average politicians ability for self denial about hypocrisy and double standards - even outright lies - seems endless.

Any real change will occur because the groundswell of public thinking forces it onto the political agenda, and while this kind of reporting can help, we'll need to see major changes to the social division (and the prejudices feeding on it that politicians capitalise on) the majority seem quite comfortable to go along with.

Basically, we need to live in a less greedy and selfish society before ANY government will risk votes by pushing real social reform. Chicken and egg/Catch 22...

 

L&P&

 

BD (aka 'misery guts' on this occassion!)

[Bagpuss]

Thanks for the link Kathryn, found it interesting.

Edited January 11, 2007 by Bagpuss

[curra]

Thanks for the link, Kathryn!

A very good and clear opinion. Hopefully things start to change soon, but I somehow doubt it. Everyone knows that Inclusion cannot work but it's still cheaper than having special schools and training specialist teachers.

Schools have their targets and teachers are trained into the idea that inclusion works because however special the needs of children, they are supposed to be capable of integrating into classes,in other words schools expect that if teachers are good teachers that is what should happen. But it's an impossible task because the lessons must be completely geared to pupils without special needs.

 

Curra

[LizK]

Very interesting and well written article that nicely sums up the situation that many find themselves in.

 

I think it is probably too absolutist to say inclusion is not working as for some children I think it probably does. My son is benefitting from inclusion in a way I don't think he would do in a special school and so far being in mainstream has been a positve benefit to him but that is to quote the article "where the appropriate support will be provided to enable them to be educated alongside their peers." The reality is that inclusion can only work if there is adequate support, resources and training and focused on the right children but it seems like the many children are thrust into underresourced schools with minimal knowledge in a one size fits all manner.

 

Watching that programme recently on BBC2 about inclusion it was interesting to see how parents with children with different disabilities viewed inclusion. For some it seems vitally important and having gone to meetings with parents of childrne with other SENs it is often parents with physical disabilities or 'visible' disabilities like Down Syndrome who are very keen for their child to be educated in mainstream. These children though seem to get a better deal, it is the hidden disabilites like ASD that some teachers seem to think doesn't even exist that get the raw deal. I would hate for there to be an anti-inclusion backlash and things to turn back 20 years and for children with SENs to be predominantly educated in the special school system when some clearly do benefit from inclusion. Inclusion can work for some children with the correct resources but children are being denied this and it is failing. There needs to be a more child led policy rather than blanket policies and ideologies but that requires too much thinking and money to ever be a reality it seems

 

Lx

[darky]

good article, says what most of us are thinking, and highlights the difficulties we as parents face with sen kids in mainstream schools.

 

so many of these things coming out all the time, but when WILL someone take notice and actually DO something NOW, not 2010, 2020. it will be too late for our kids arhhhhh