[senco-forum] (no subject)

"Some parents also criticised the committee. Julie Maynard, whose son  Joshua 
has multiple disabilities, including autism, said she was angry they did  not 
take direct, verbal evidence from parents. "

Bearing in mind that in they eyes of the law it is the parents legal  
responsibility to provide an appropriate education for their children, do  schools 
have the legal right, the moral right notwithstanding, to summarily  ignore 
them? Schools have taken over this right and privelige when it  doesn't really 
belong to them.  

"The responsibility of parents is clearly established in  section 7 of the 
Education Act 1996 (previously section 36 of the Education Act 1944): 
The parent of every child of compulsory  school age shall cause him to 
receive efficient full-time education  suitable    
(a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and
(b) to any  special educational needs he may have, either by regular 
attendance at  school or otherwise."

If parents put children in school they are, in part, handing over this  
responsibiity but schools have no right to dismiss the parents' views  because the 
education of their children is their responsibility, not the  school's; so the 
parent's legally have the last say. Unfiortunaltely nobody  tells the parents 
that they have a choice and most people feel it is by law  that they have to 
send their children to school. 

Parents should not be ignored, dimissed, patronised or in many cases forced  
to withdraw their child from schools in order to ensure that appropriate  
education is provided, at home, with no financial support from the government  
because the taxpayers' money has all been put into schools. Not everyone  opts to 
send their children to school and many more are withdrawing them because  
schools are failing them. If every dissatisfied parent chose to opt  out and the 
classrooms became empty, the government would finally realise  that schools 
are there because parents allow them to be.

Best wishes,
Aly

Chair Auditory Processing Disorder in  the UK/APDUK
www.lacewingmultimedia.com/APD.htm 
www.apduk.org