The Guardian, Thursday Novermber 20 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/nov/20/discrimination-disabled-pupil
Summary
A disabled boy was discriminated by his school. Because of his behaviour he had to stand for appr. 40 minutes as punishment. His physical state was not taken in to consideration; he suffers from a connective tissue disorder and is also diagnosed with severe ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). The ADD explains his difficult behaviour. As a result of his long standing he could not walk afterwards because he was so stiff.
The school now has to make an official appology to the family and their employees have to have training on the Disability Discrimination Act. The school also has to create guidelines for these kinds of situations.
Opinion
When I first saw the headline of this article it led me to believe that the boy never walked again after his standing detention. This seems to have been a wrong assumption.
The school has made some embarrassing mistakes; they were aware of the fact that this boy suffered from ADD and a connective tissue disorder so how on earth can you let something like this happen? In what kind of school is standing for 40 minutes a punishment anyway? If you can not handle the children in your class you have to come up with something that seems fit to the situation, nobody will benefit a 40 minute stand.
I hope the teacher who handed out the punishment was dealt with and I think it is a great idea to send all of the employees on that training.
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3 opmerkingen:
Although humans all make mistakes, this is a pretty big and mean one. It's definitly a big flaw the teacher treated the child in this manner. You can ask yourself if it's the teachers personal fault for not taking his disability in consideration, or if the school is to blame for not correctly informing the teacher. I do think it's good they offered an apology and took immediate action.
Olaf
PS.: I think making annoying children stand in the corner a weird punishment as well, a bit medieval even.
I had the same thought as you when I read the title of your blog. I agree with everyone else; it is a huge mistake from the school.
B-N
I agree with you all on this topic, but should a boy like him, who has bahaviour problems, go to special school?
Cheers!
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