A Wollongong father of two boys on the autism spectrum has labelled One Nation senator Pauline Hanson’s call for children with autism and disabilities to be removed from mainstream classrooms, ‘’uninformed and insulting.’’
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Rueben Sakey was also ‘’frustrated’’ that the Queensland senator said children like his sons, Harrison,11 and Baxter, 10, were putting a strain on teachers and schools and should be educated separately.
‘’The suggestion that ‘these people’ are holding back mainstream Australia is uninformed and insulting, and I think contrary to all of our principles of inclusiveness and anti-discrimination laws in this country,’’ he said.
‘’If the call is for more support for teachers and better early intervention, segregation is certainly not the agenda through which to pursue that.
‘’I would've thought in today's society that educated parliamentarians would be more enlightened than make such uneducated, ill-informed comments.’’
I would've thought in today's society that educated parliamentarians would be more enlightened than make such uneducated, ill-informed comments.
- Reuben Sakey
Aspect South Coast School principal Bruce Rowles said segregating children on the spectrum was a ‘’backward step’’.
‘’Children on the spectrum, like all children, require a whole range of education options. Our goal is to prepare them to be able to take their rightful place in the mainstream setting,’’ Mr Rowles said.
Disability advocates and politicians from all sides have slammed Ms Hanson’s remarks made during debate on the Federal Government's school funding legislation.
Ms Hanson on Thursday stood by her comments. She garnered support among some readers.
But Mr Sakey was ‘’outraged’’ with Ms Hanson’s claim other children would be ‘’held back’’ by teachers spending time with children with disabilities.
Both his sons are on the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum.
‘’He is in a mainstream class and we can say from his social and academic development he was ready for it and it was the best thing that has happened for him,’’ Mr Sakey said.
‘’The suggestion he is holding his class back is outrageous. His fellow students were asked to provide feedback and they said Harrison was quirky, funny, caring and always brutally honest, which they love.’’
The suggestion he is holding his class back is outrageous.
- Reuben Sakey
Mr Sakey said raising kids with autism involves a wide range of specialist services and the acceptance of the mainstream society.
‘’Part of that is exposing other children and academia to the tensions and challenges of autism, not isolating them from it, because they will meet autistic people in the mainstream world...and if they don’t have that real-world exposure they'll continue to be the funny looking or different kids.’’