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Barred from Science (Health & Safety reasons)

MulgaBill

Our oldest boy (he's an Aspie) has just moved up to S2 (we're in Scotland) and, as well as all the usual turmoil involved in changing classes, he came home today to tell me that "I was locked out of Science". When I asked what had happened, he said his new science teacher had shut the classroom door in his face and locked it. He didn't know what was happening, so he stood outside the classroom until his guidance teacher eventually showed up. She told him that he wasn't allowed to do science for "health and safety reasons", and he'd have to spend science classes doing "other things" in the special needs area. It's ludicrous as science was his best subject in S1 and the teacher he had throughout never had a safety issue with him.

Has anyone managed to challenge a decision like this? And how?

BTW, I'm on my fourth letter to the school in 10 days to the school, copied to the QIO and Head of Education, not that they ever reply or take any notice. Yesterday's letter was about our boy being kept out of all his classes for an entire day, so he played computer games and watched videos in the special needs area. He doesn't know why and no one from the SMT was available to explain why. (He was quite happy to have a "day off", but I'm not.)

Parents

  • I am going to tell you exactly what I would do if I was you.  It really sounds like, from what you are saying, that this school is not able to make the appropriate adjustments necessary for someone who is disabled and that they are in fact discriminating against him.  Based on the comments such as "fails to observe social etiquette", the fact they are banning him from science lessons and thus barring him from accessing parts of the national curriculum not based on his mental ability, but based on the fact they do not feel they can make the kinds of adjustments they recently made with a different teacher, and based on the fact that they feel that all of their experiance as educators mean that they don;t need any input from you, I honestly think this is NOT the right school for your son.  The kinds of changes that would need to take place are too numerous.


     So instead, I would get on my computer and draft a letter to the local education authority and give a copy of the letter to the school.  State in it a detailed list of how the school is not meeting your childs needs and not making the appropriate adjustments required under disability legislation, state the number of times you have already approached the school with your concerns, and make it clear that as the education authority, they need to ensure that your son is no longer discriminated against and is no longer being prevented by the school from attending the classes he should (such as the science practicles).  It would also help at the end to state the negative consequences this is having on your child both acedemic and emotional.


    Ask the local authority to find another school for your child that is capable of handeling his disability without discriminating against him as the law requires this.


    Now the local authority will at that point go to the school and say what the heck is going on.  The school may even start catering to your every need. Or the local authority will grant your wish and find him another mainstream school which will hopefully suit his needs better.  If transport is an issue, there are ways of getting them to pay for it given these circumstances.


    The main thing in the letter is to NOT make any personal attacks against the school or any staff members at the school.  Try to be as factual as you can and let the facts speak for themselves.

Reply

  • I am going to tell you exactly what I would do if I was you.  It really sounds like, from what you are saying, that this school is not able to make the appropriate adjustments necessary for someone who is disabled and that they are in fact discriminating against him.  Based on the comments such as "fails to observe social etiquette", the fact they are banning him from science lessons and thus barring him from accessing parts of the national curriculum not based on his mental ability, but based on the fact they do not feel they can make the kinds of adjustments they recently made with a different teacher, and based on the fact that they feel that all of their experiance as educators mean that they don;t need any input from you, I honestly think this is NOT the right school for your son.  The kinds of changes that would need to take place are too numerous.


     So instead, I would get on my computer and draft a letter to the local education authority and give a copy of the letter to the school.  State in it a detailed list of how the school is not meeting your childs needs and not making the appropriate adjustments required under disability legislation, state the number of times you have already approached the school with your concerns, and make it clear that as the education authority, they need to ensure that your son is no longer discriminated against and is no longer being prevented by the school from attending the classes he should (such as the science practicles).  It would also help at the end to state the negative consequences this is having on your child both acedemic and emotional.


    Ask the local authority to find another school for your child that is capable of handeling his disability without discriminating against him as the law requires this.


    Now the local authority will at that point go to the school and say what the heck is going on.  The school may even start catering to your every need. Or the local authority will grant your wish and find him another mainstream school which will hopefully suit his needs better.  If transport is an issue, there are ways of getting them to pay for it given these circumstances.


    The main thing in the letter is to NOT make any personal attacks against the school or any staff members at the school.  Try to be as factual as you can and let the facts speak for themselves.

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